21 Days of Christmas
by LongHardRoadOuttaHell
Summary: 21 Days til Christmas.. 21 chapters to be written... 21 gifts to be given... 12 days of Christmas, Troy Bolton style.
1. Day 1

**I fear I might be slightly insane to do a daily update Christmas story for the second year in a row, but hey, insane is fine, right? **

**So this is 21 Days of Christmas, a fic that will be updated daily from the 5th of December (today for me) til the 25th of December. Thanks a million times to Corii for helping me get this baby started, and to Kait for reading through the start and encouraging me to go ahead with it!  
**

**21 days.**

**21 chapters.**

**21 gifts.**

**I hope you enjoy :)  
**

_On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me…_

As Troy Bolton stepped through the front door of the house he shared with his fiancé, Gabriella Montez, he froze on the spot, hearing what sounded like a footstep upstairs.

"Brie? Are you home, baby?" He called out wearily, looking around for a spot that he could hide the cardboard box that was currently in his muscular arms.

When no response came from upstairs Troy decided it must just be the old house creaking in the cold weather and he continued into the house, heading straight for the newly decorated kitchen and setting the box on the counter, a small squeak was audible through the air holes and Troy couldn't help the smile that settled on his face.

From the first moment Troy heard the festive Christmas songs at the mall a few weeks earlier, he knew what he wanted to plan for Gabriella that year for her Christmas surprise, an adaptation of the 12 days of Christmas where he gave his fiancé a gift for every day from the 5th to the 25th of December, effectively making it the 21 days of Christmas, Troy Bolton style.

This meant that on the first day, the 5th of December, Troy was hurrying home from work to set up his first surprise, something that Gabriella had been hinting about for months, something he knew she was going to love to pieces. Gently lifting the lid off the box Troy was greeted by the hurried mewls of the small, fluffy bundle inside.

"Come here, little girl," Troy cooed, reaching inside to pick up the fuzzy, grey ball, settling the semi-startled kitten against his chest and supporting it with one hand as he started to load the items he had purchased into the box he had just taken the kitten out of. Into the box went cans of kitten food, a few cartons of specially designed kitten milk, a pink flea collar, a fuzzy pink blanket, a litter box and settled down the side, a badly drawn map of the lower floor of their house, showing where the last part of the gift was located.

Hearing his fiancé's car pull into the driveway, Troy quickly rushed through the house to put the kitten and Gabriella's first message into a guest bedroom, the kitten letting out a yawn and curling up to sleep on the pile of blankets Troy had settled her down on.

"Troy?" Gabriella's sweet voice came through the house, widening the grin that was already on Troy's face.

"Coming, baby," Troy called back, shutting the door firmly behind him and heading back to the kitchen where he had heard Gabriella's voice coming from.

Slipping behind her, Troy dropped his hands to her hips, kissing the top of her head as she squealed slightly at his unexpected contact.

"Have a nice day?" Troy asked as Gabriella leaned into him, her sigh of frustration telling him that she was having yet another stressful day.

"No, that flu epidemic that's going around?" Gabriella asked more out of habit than of informing Troy for he was a doctor at the local hospital. "At least half of the kids were out of school today, and almost all of the kids that were at school, were sick. Why can't parents keep sick, miserable kids at home?" The slight whine in her voice only made Troy drape his arms around her waist, hugging her and dropping another kiss on her head in sympathy.

"I have something to cheer you up," Troy announced, turning their bodies so that the box on the counter was in clear view.

"For me?" Gabriella giggled, spinning around in Troy's arms, the thoughts of her stressful day gone, she loved receiving gifts for seemingly no reason.

"For you," Troy laughed. "Go on, open it."

As Gabriella took the lid back off the box, Troy hoisted himself up to sit on the counter next to her, watching the confusion flash across her pretty face as she took in all the necessary items to look after a kitten, something she wanted, but didn't have.

"Troy, why have you given me all of this?" Gabriella pouted when she thought the box was empty. "You know how badly I want a kitten! Now you're just taunting me."

"There's one last thing in there," Troy pointed out, referring to the note which Gabriella had overlooked.

Peering back in the box, Gabriella saw that Troy was correct and she pulled the small note out, stifling a giggle at her fiancé's terrible drawing but knowing what he was trying to portray.

"I know it's badly drawn, but surely you can follow it," Troy teased as he watched Gabriella who was trying to work out whether her fiancé had really bought her a kitten and had hidden it in one of their guest bedrooms.

Scowling at the teasing, Gabriella grabbed Troy's hand in her own and tugged him off the counter, leading him through the house to the bedroom that was indicated on the map. Just as Gabriella was about to open the door Troy started to hum the tune to _12 Days of Christmas_ and Gabriella looked at him curiously for a second before her impatience won over and she opened up the door.

Her chocolate brown eyes darted around the room, her stomach dropping as she couldn't see any kitten waiting for her and she feared Troy was playing a horrible joke on her.

Taking a tentative step inside, Gabriella finally spotted the small, grey kitten asleep on the blankets and she let out a loud "aww" before rushing over to it's side, scooping it up gently in her hands.

"A kitten?" She exclaimed, rushing back over to Troy and planting an excited kiss on his lips before looking over the now awake kitten. "It's so adorable, Troy!"

Realising that she had once again looked over his note, Troy plucked the piece of paper up off the floor and held it out to her.

"Read this," he smiled as Gabriella took it from him, shifting the kitten into one arm and quickly reading the note, as a look of understanding and excitement for the next 20 days crossed her face, Troy wrapped an arm around her waist, leading her and the new addition to their family out of the room.

_One fluffy kitten_


	2. Day 2

**A/N: A _huge_ thanks to everyone who added this to their alerts and/or reviewed, you guys all rock! And an even bigger thanks to Corii for writing the end of this for me, you're gunna end up with co-writer credits at this rate ;). Hope everyone enjoys day 2!**

_On the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…_

Gabriella glanced hopefully at her watch, sighing with frustration as she realised it hadn't even been five minutes since she last looked at the time.

Not only was Gabriella eager for the day to be over so she could get home to her new kitten, she currently had a overly full class of 4th graders because the other 2 teachers were sick with the flu and since the three 4th grade classes had many missing students also off with the flu, it was decided that Gabriella would teach all the 4th graders that day.

That decision had led to Gabriella's head feeling like it was going to explode and she was sure that she was more eager for it to be lunchtime than her students were. Luckily at that point the students were all doing Math from their workbooks and so the class was mostly silent, giving Gabriella's head a break.

As the bell sounded to signal the start of the lunch break there was a scramble as the students packed up their workbooks and pencils before waiting for Gabriella to release them for their lunch.

"Since you all worked so quietly on your Math, when we return from lunch we'll have a little bit of a competition with what you've been working on so far this morning and the winning group with get a prize!" Gabriella announced, smiling as her student cheered in excitement. "See you all after lunch."

The students rushed from the classroom and Gabriella stood up from her desk, stretching her body and feeling her wary muscles ache slightly as she once again wished it was the end of the day so she could sink into a hot bath and then curl up on the sofa with Troy and read a book.

Heading through the school hallways Gabriella pulled out her cell phone, quickly dialling Troy's number, as she did every day for their quick, daily lunchtime conversation.

"Hey baby," came Troy's voice as he answered the call. "How's your day going?"

"I'm SO glad it's Friday," Gabriella groaned. "I want to curl up in bed all weekend and just sleep.

"That bad, huh?" Troy said with a smile, knowing that today and tomorrow's gifts wouldn't let his fiancé's plans go ahead, but he knew her exhaustion would disappear when she was faced with plans to engage in her favourite pastimes.

"Lynn and Anya are out sick today so I have all three classes to teach," Gabriella explained as she entered the break room and headed to her locker. "Luckily there's only a little more kids than I usually have when the flu isn't going around, but it's still tough."

"You're halfway through the day," Troy pointed out. "And you have chicken salad lovingly made by your handsome fiancé to eat!"

"I do," Gabriella replied as she took the plastic container out of the staff refrigerator and headed over to a spare seat to sit down and eat. "Thank you for making my lunch, I was in such a rush this morning."

"No problem, babe. Enjoy your lunch, I have to go on my rounds now but I'll see you at home?" Troy lied, knowing she was about to find gift number two, and he wanted to let her stew in her excitement until they were home later that day.

* * *

"Is that you, Brie?" Troy called out as he heard the front door open. He came out of the living room only to be thrown back a few feet as Gabriella threw herself at him, her squeals of excitement echoing through the entranceway.

"Lakers! We're going to see the Lakers!" Gabriella squealed and Troy couldn't help but smile at her excitement for something that they did several times each basketball season.

"We are," he laughed. "How was the rest of your day?"

"Fine. Oh my gosh, I have to go and shower! And where's my Lakers cap? What time do we have to leave? I _love_ going to games!"

"Go and shower, we don't have to leave for an hour. And your cap is on the bed, I already found it for you, and I love you," Troy kissed Gabriella's nose as he set her on her feet, watching as she took off up the staircase, spinning around when she was halfway up to turn and look at him.

"I love you, too."

* * *

"I still can't believe we are here!"

Troy smirked at his fiancé as she gushed once more about the game, like she had been through the first three quarters of it. "I know babe."

"Courtside! Courtside Troy!!" Troy chuckled as she gripped his arms and shook him, trying to get him more excited. "Kobe is right there! Look!" Gabriella exclaimed, pointing with one hand while she gripped his jaw in the other and turned his head to face in Kobe's direction instead of looking at her as he had been most of the night.

"I see him," Troy laughed even more, gently gripping her wrist in his hand and pulling it away from his face, but not before he'd placed a quick kiss on the inside of her palm. "In fact, I think he knows that we're here as well, or he will if you keep yelling and pointing at him every time he gets close."

"Fine," Gabriella pretended to pout, attempting to slip her hand out of his, but failing as he interlaced their fingers and let their hands rest on his leg. "Really though Troy, I still can't believe you got these courtside seats."

"I know! I guess it pays to be a doctor and work with a bunch of rich people who can afford these tickets. All it took was a little kissing up on my part and-,"

"Shh babe, the game's starting back up," Gabriella told him, her hand coming up to pinch his lips together causing Troy to pause mid-sentence.

Troy couldn't help the grin that spread over his face. "Glad to know you care so much about what I have to say." Troy's mumbled words came out the best they could with her fingers still pinching his lips.

Sacrificing watching the game for a brief moment, Gabriella turned towards her fiancé. "Aww, babe you know I care about what you have to say," she reassured him, leaning up and pressing her lips gently to his before quickly pulling away. "But right now, I care more about the Lakers scoring and winning this game."

"Hey, did Kobe just wave at you?"

Gabriella's head whipped around so fast to look back at the court, she was surprised she didn't get whiplash, but as she heard Troy laughing loudly next to her, Gabriella slowly swivelled her head back towards him glaring at her now out of breath boyfriend. "That was cruel Troy Bolton. Very cruel."

"But still very funny."

"It was mean-hearted."

Troy's laughter continued, being very amused by his girlfriend's attempt at an angry face when inside he knew she was laughing with him. "It was hilarious."

"I'm done talking to you," Gabriella informed him, crossing her arms and turning back to face the game. She was trying to ignore him but failing as he placed a few gentle kisses on her cheek, whispering that he loved her in her ear before gently grabbing her ankle in his hand, his thumb rubbing back and forth.

Finally giving up the act, Gabriella unfolded her arms, lacing her fingers with his and leaning her head on his shoulder, her eyes still watching the players run up the court. Troy turned to focus on the game too, with only twenty seconds left and the Lakers down by one.

Suddenly, the Staples Center erupted in loud cheers as Kobe swished a three-pointer with no time left on the clock. Troy and Gabriella stood and cheered with the rest of the crowd, but as Kobe ran back by nodding at Gabriella who was cheering and pointing towards him, Troy's gaze shifted from the superstar in front of him to the love of his life beside him whose joyous look on her face was worth more to him than anything else he could receive at Christmas.

_Two Lakers' tickets._


	3. Day 3

**A/N: Okay so I realise these chapters aren't long, but that's rather my plan, just short little daily gifts to spread the Christmas cheer :) Plus, the subject of this chapter isn't something I'm very interested in myself, but I'm rather abnormal in that way, apparently!  
**

**Thank you to everyone has reviewed so far, I'm honestly checking my inbox like a crazed person just to read them and to see the alerts of people adding this to their favourites and such, it really makes my day! **

**Reviews might make Troy take his shirt off in the next chapter ;)  
**

_On the third day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…_

Troy couldn't help but smile as he watched Gabriella practically bounce around the kitchen on Saturday morning, her high from being courtside at the Lakers game still going strong.

"I can't believe Kobe _nodded_ at me!" Gabriella gushed for the hundredth time that morning. "Right at me!"

"He did, babe," Troy laughed, taking another mouthful of his coffee as he waited for Gabriella to sit down so he could give her day 3's gift which he had hidden under the newspaper next to him.

"I thought we might meet Taylor and Chad for brunch today?" Gabriella told Troy as she sat down with her second cup of coffee for the morning.

"Do you really need a second cup, Brie?" Troy asked with a smirk. "You're already bouncing off the walls since Kobe looked in your direction last night and tilted his head."

"He nodded, Troy!" Gabriella cried out. "Nodded!"

"Sure he did," Troy teased some more. "We can go out with Taylor and Chad if you want but first, open this."

With that, Troy slid the white envelope across the round table to Gabriella, watching in amusement and happiness as she snatched it up and tore it open. Her dark eyes scanned across the words on the paper inside before her shriek of happiness tore through the small room.

"I'm just going to shower quickly and then we'll go, okay?" She told Troy excitedly, leaving her coffee abandoned on the table as she hurried upstairs to get ready.

Laughing, Troy cleared up their coffee cups before he started upstairs to get ready for what was going to be a tiring day for him.

As he waited for Gabriella to be finished in the shower, Troy headed into their large closest to find some clothes to wear, picking clothes he knew he would be comfortable in and making sure to grab out his favourite pair of worn converse sneakers to wear with the jeans and hoody.

"You're not wearing those old things, are you?" Gabriella's voice came from the other side of the room and Troy turned to see her wrinkling her nose adorably.

"I don't want to get sore feet," Troy reasoned. "You can wear heels if you want to suffer, but I'm going to be comfortable."

"You should wear heels," Gabriella giggled as she came to stand in front of Troy, letting him pull her close to him as he placed a kiss on her forehead.

"Let me think about that… nope."

Placing a soft kiss on his girlfriend's lips, Troy turned towards the bathroom so he could take a quick shower, Gabriella's voice stopping him in his tracks as he pulled his t-shirt over his head and her comment made him throw the item at her.

"Why not? You have the legs for it."

---

An hour later, the pair were arriving at their destination, the mall, and Gabriella's excitement had only exploded, the events the night before mixed with the upcoming events of that day had turned her into a bouncing, giggling mess.

"You're like a hyped up little puppy," Troy laughed as he took Gabriella's hand as she stepped out of the car. "It's just a little shopping."

"Three hours of shopping, Troy!" Gabriella corrected as they headed through the parking lot. "And you don't get to complain even once. Not if I drag you to every single shop."

"That's right. And you know what will stop me from feeling like I need to complain? If you take me to every lingerie shop here and model some pieces for me."

"Troy!"

A sharp slap connected with Troy's left arm and he laughed at his shy girlfriend's response.

"Just kidding, Brie," Troy laughed as they entered the busy shopping centre. "Okay, where to first?"

"Ummm," Gabriella looked at all the shops laid out in front of her before hurrying towards one that Troy could see was a shoe shop and he stifled the groan that threatened to erupt.

Troy settled himself onto one of the chairs as he watched Gabriella scanning to rows of shoes that Troy thought all would look good on her, his brow furrowing as she picked out a pair that looked identical to ones he swore she had at home and he decided he wasn't even going to understand his girlfriend and her shoe obsession.

---

Three hours and 7 minutes later, Troy – laden with shopping bags – and Gabriella were heading back out to Troy's car. Gabriella had shopped with every last minute of her time and had bought numerous pairs of shoes and an abundance of clothing for both herself and Troy, though Troy tried to insist that the shopping spree was purely for herself.

"So you're really going to give me a gift every day until Christmas?" Gabriella asked as they drove home.

"I am," Troy confirmed, his hand finding Gabriella's hand and lacing their fingers together. "Is that okay with you?"

Ignoring his silly question Gabriella tried to pry. "What's tomorrow? Is it 4 of something? Is it another physical gift? Something like more shopping?"

"I'm not telling," Troy laughed. "You'll just have to wait."

"I hate waiting," Gabriella pouted. "Can't I just have a _little_ hint?"

"No way, then you'll just pout a little more cause you can't figure it out and I'll tell you and it's meant to be a surprise!"

"You're lucky I'm too tired from dragging you around the mall to argue with you properly," Gabriella pointed out. "Cause I'd totally get you to cave."

Troy didn't even bother to argue, he knew it was true, after all, he'd been willing to spend 3 hours in a busy mall on a Saturday morning, just to see her smile and he was sure tomorrow's gift was going to be just as painful, but just as worthwhile.

_Three hours shopping._


	4. Day 4

**A/N: And here is Day 4! This would've been out a half hour ago, but my three kittens thought it was a cool idea to knock a bowl of milk over themselves, so I had to give them all a bath, which wasn't fun. As promised, a shirtless Troy features in this chapter ;) hope you all enjoy!**

_On the fourth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…_

Gabriella woke up to the sound of heavy raining falling on the roof, the sound was relaxing, but annoying and she realised she wasn't going to get back to sleep anytime soon so she reached over to pull herself closer to Troy.

But her fingers were met not with the bare warmth of Troy's skin, instead they came into contact with the cold sheet which made Gabriella open her eyes to see the whereabouts of her boyfriend.

It was very unusual for Troy to be awake before Gabriella, let alone out of the bed, this was something that usually only happened when he was sick, even the mornings that he started work early, Gabriella usually woke with the alarm clock.

Deciding that Troy must be sick, Gabriella quickly got out of bed and pulled on her robe, tightening the belt before turning towards the bathroom. As she turned, a purple package on her bedside table caught her eye and she grabbed at it before heading to the bathroom.

Seeing that there was no Troy inside, Gabriella stopped to look at the package and she noticed that in Troy's handwriting "day four" was written across the top. Realising that this was her gift for the day, Gabriella excitedly tore open the package, revealing to her four DVD cases.

She quickly sank to the floor to look at the titles and she saw a piece of paper sticking out between two of the cases and she eagerly pulled it free.

_Take a shower and put on the clothes in the package in the closet._

_I'll be home by 9am so we can enjoy Day Four's gift together._

_Troy xxx_

Wondering where Troy could've gone so early on a Sunday morning, Gabriella returned the DVDs to the bedside table and debated whether she should open the clothing package before or after her house.

Deciding she was way too impatient to wait til after the shower she crossed to the closet, quickly locating a gift box sitting there waiting for her and she pulled the lid off, her heart melting at the t-shirt sitting on top.

It was an exact replica of the first t-shirt Gabriella had stolen from Troy, but she had lost it somewhere when her and Troy moved in together. This one was brand new – the one Gabriella had stolen was faded and had a small hole on the shoulder – but it was the same and as she lifted it from the box she caught a whiff of Troy's cologne.

She wondered if he had worn it already, or simply sprayed his cologne on the clothing item, but she didn't really care either way. Noticing there was more in the box, Gabriella lifted out first a pair of grey sweatpants followed by a pair of black, fluffy slippers. Eager to slip into such comfortable, warm looking clothes Gabriella carried the box into the bathroom and placed it on the counter next to the sink before she started up the shower and climbed under the hot stream.

Meanwhile, Troy was walking the aisles of the local supermarket, picking out both his and Gabriella's favourite junk food items, chocolate, candy, chips, cookies and popcorn filled his cart and he soon added several bottles of soda to the mix before he went in search of something quick to have for lunch. Spotting the pizza bases he decided that he would make Gabriella her favourite pizza for lunch, knowing she much preferred homemade to premade, even if Troy couldn't tell the difference.

Going in search of the pineapple and tomato paste for the pizza, Troy looked at his watch, seeing it was already half past eight and he had said in the note that he would be home by 9. Grabbing the ingredients for the Hawaiian pizza, Troy sped off to the checkouts, paying for the foods before jumping in his car, eager to get home and see if Gabriella liked day 4's gifts.

---

Troy was stretched across the length of the couch, thanks to the roaring fire in the corner he was able to relax in just a pair of basketball shorts, and although Gabriella couldn't believe that he was warm enough to go shirtless, she hadn't complained about settling against his bare torso to watch the movies. As Troy watched his girlfriend tear up for the fifth time in as many minutes he rolled his eyes at how morbid chick flicks seemed to be. He couldn't understand how Gabriella wouldn't watch an action movie because people died, but she was willing to watch movies that made her burst into tears. Deciding to voice his opinion, Troy wiped away a stray tear on Gabriella's cheek before speaking.

"Why do you like watching movies that make you cry?" He enquired softly, receiving a swift elbow to the stomach from Gabriella as she glared at him and went back to watching the tv screen. "What?"

"Shhh, Troy!" Gabriella hissed. "Can't you see, Jack is dying?"

"Uh, Brie? He's not Jack, he's Leo and he's, ouch!" Another elbow to the ribs shut Troy up and he scowled at the tv for confusing him and getting him into trouble.

Troy and Gabriella were up to movie number 3, having already watched first Grease – which Gabriella sung along to, – and Love Actually – where Gabriella had to keep reminding Troy who everyone was, – they were now watching Titanic – where Gabriella had to keep hushing her boyfriend who seemed to only be quiet during the parts Kate Winslet didn't have a top on – and Troy couldn't see how Gabriella could cry at movies she'd seen hundreds of times before.

Finally the end credits started to roll and a teary eyed Gabriella turned to Troy.

"Titanic makes me cry because Rose finally finds true love and she loses him!" She exclaimed. "If you were drowning wouldn't you want me to be upset that you were going to die?"

"Probably… but it's just a movie, Brie," Troy reasoned. "That would be like you being scared of clowns because of that movie, IT."

"Troy, I am scared of clowns!" Gabriella pointed out. "They have creepy smiles and they live in the sewers and they grab you off the streets. You just can't trust them!"

"Okay, okay, point taken. Ready to watch the last movie?"

"A Walk to Remember!" Gabriella cried happily. "This is one of my favourite movies!"

"I can't understand why. That guy is a total jerk to the hot chick who is shy and trying to be not hot and then they fall in love, that never happens in real life." Troy complained.

"Troy," Gabriella whined. "It's romantic!"

"What's romantic about death? Or guys being jerks? The guy is a jerk in Grease too."

"You obviously don't pay attention to the movies."

"I pay enough attention to know that they put hot girls in lead roles so boyfriend's have something to watch," Troy argued, but upon seeing Gabriella's glare he quickly spoke again. "I mean, they look okay I guess, nowhere near as good as you."

With a roll of her eyes, Gabriella shoved him off the couch so he could put the last movie in, her heart swelling with pride that Troy would sit through movies he couldn't understand and couldn't bear to pay attention to, just to make her happy.

_Four girly movies._


	5. Day 5

**A/N: What's better than Regular Troy? Doctor Troy! **

**Enjoy!**

_On the fifth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…_

As Troy's bright blue eyes fluttered open in the early hours of Monday morning he tried to work out what had woken him from his slumber. Finally his eyes opened properly and he could make out the time on the digital alarm clock on his bedside table. It was 4.13am.

Wondering what would've woken him from his normally deep sleep, a loud series of coughs racked the bed from behind him. Carefully flipping over, Troy saw a glassy eyed Gabriella coughing over and over again and he reached a hand up to brush her messy curls off her face. This act caused him to realise that his girlfriend was burning up, her forehead's heat radiating onto Troy's hand.

"Brie, baby? Do you feel sick?" Troy cooed as he pulled Gabriella closer to him and she started another round of coughing.

"I do," Gabriella replied huskily, wincing at the pain that spread through her throat as she said just the two short words. "Sorry I woke you."

"It's okay," Troy rubbed Gabriella's back gently in sympathy. "You must've caught the flu that's going around."

"I have to go to work," Gabriella told him, trying to sit up but Troy held her small body closer to his.

"You're not getting out of this bed," Troy corrected. "Except to have a shower and get into clean pajamas."

"Troy," Gabriella complained. "I'm not…"

Whatever Gabriella was trying to say was interrupted as she started coughing again, and Troy knew that she wasn't going to work today, or the next few days. He was thankful that he was off work for the next two days, so that he could take care of Gabriella, because he knew that unless he was there, she wouldn't be resting and staying in bed, she would be catching up on laundry and cleaning, activities that weren't going to make her get better.

"I'm going to start up the shower for you, okay?" Troy asked as Gabriella resumed breathing normally again.

"Okay," she croaked out. "I'll get up."

Troy went and turned on the shower, getting Gabriella a fluffy white towel from the cupboard and hanging it over the heated towel rail. As he finished that Gabriella appeared in the doorway and Troy shot her a small smile.

"Sore?" He asked simply, noticing the small, feeble steps she was taking.

"I think I got hit by a bus," she tried to joke, but Troy knew that it was the truth, the flu that was going around at the moment hit patients quickly and the aches seemed to be more severe than in other flus.

Troy placed a kiss on Gabriella's head before he gestured to the shower. "I'll make you some toast, okay? And a hot chocolate?"

Gabriella nodded, slipping her t-shirt over her head as Troy left the room. Once he shut the bathroom door behind him, Troy rushed out of the bedroom and into the guest room next to their own, going into the unused closet and retrieving Gabriella's gift for the day.

---

Several hours later Gabriella and Troy were tucked back up in bed, Troy was reading a sports magazine, and Gabriella was enjoying one of her new gifts.

Her eyes had just about popped out of her head when she opened day 5's gift, a box set of 5 Jane Austen books, her 5 favourite that she already owned, but had seen better days.

"Good book," Troy asked Gabriella as he finished his magazine and placed it on the bedside table.

"Mmmhm," Gabriella murmured, allowing Troy to pull her to his side, his arms wrapped around her.

"Getting tired?" Gabriella shook her head. "Do you want some more Tylenol?"

"No thanks."

"Is your fever coming down? How are your aches?"

"I'm okay, Troy, I just need you," Gabriella smiled and Troy smiled back at her, linking their fingers together and resting them on his bare chest.

"Good book?" Troy asked, noticing Gabriella was almost halfway through Pride and Prejudice.

"My favourite," Gabriella smiled as she marked her page and placed the book on her bedside table before turning back to Troy and snuggling into his chest.

"So I did good?" Troy asked, waiting for Gabriella to finish another coughing fit before she answered.

"You did, with the books, the movies, the shopping and tickets and especially with little Grace," Gabriella motioned to the bottom of the bed where the kitten was curled up, fast asleep.

"And just think, you still have 16 more days of gifts," Troy laughed. "I hope I live up to your expectations."

"I think you could probably give me a sack of potatoes and I'd be happy because they're from you," Gabriella teased.

"I'll just take one of the other presents off my list then and put potatoes on," Troy laughed, catching Gabriella's hand as she went to swat his shoulder.

"I wasn't serious, Troy," Gabriella pouted. "Be nice, I'm sick."

"Go on then pretty girl, read your book. I'll go and hunt us down some lunch, okay?"

The gentle kiss Troy placed on Gabriella's cheek made her heart do somersaults and she watched him leave the room before she picked her book back up, wishing the next day would hurry up and arrive so she could see what her boyfriend had planned for her next.

_Five brand new books._


	6. Day 6

**A/N: Wow, day 6 already. That means Christmas is drawing closer, I hope everyone is excited!**

**This chapter is for the girls over at fanforum, I'm sorry for setting the Troy standards so high, girls, I hope you can all forgive me ;)**

**Enjoy, and remember, reviews make Santa and his elves happy!  
**

_On the sixth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…_

On Tuesday, Gabriella was feeling better than she had been the day before thanks to staying the previous day in bed with Troy all day, doing little more than reading her new books, sleeping and cuddling Grace the kitten.

It was lunchtime and Gabriella was just finishing up some chicken soup, sent over by her best friend Taylor when a commercial came on the tv.

"Stupid Kings of Leon and their stupid sold out show," Gabriella muttered as she leant forward to place her bowl on the coffee table, crossing her arms over her chest as she leant back against the couch, a pout playing across her lips which made Troy smile.

"It's hardly their fault, Brie," Troy pointed out, standing up from the couch and collecting their dirty dishes, pointing at Gabriella as she stood up to help. "Sit down."

"I'm just sick, Troy. Not dying," Gabriella complained. "I'm bored! And it is their fault, if they weren't such a kick ass band then they wouldn't be sold out."

"If they weren't kick ass, you wouldn't want to go," argued Troy as he left the room, placing the dirty dishes in the dishwasher before checking to make sure the envelope was still in his pocket where he'd placed it a few hours earlier.

Heading back to the living room, Troy sat back on the couch, lifting Gabriella's feet into his lap and grabbing the remote control from next to her.

"Hey! I'm sick, that means I get control of the tv," Gabriella complained, not actually caring what they watched since she wasn't a fan of daytime television which was all the seemed to be on, despite their vast range of cable channels.

"You're willing to use the sick excuse when it suits you," Troy teased. "But when I say it, you don't want to hear it."

"Yeah, yeah," Gabriella rolled her eyes. "Don't you have to get ready for work or something?"

"You know I'm not working today, don't try to get rid of me," Troy said as he flicked the tv over to one of the music channels where Kings Of Leon's Use Somebody was playing and Gabriella's pout grew as she heard her favourite song.

"Stupid Kings of Leon," she grumbled. "I would probably kill someone to see them live."

"You'd kill someone? You must wanna see them badly."

"Really, really badly. I can't believe they were already sold out when you went to get our tickets. I'd probably trade you for the tickets"

"I didn't realise they were going to sell out so fast," Troy lied, for he had got tickets to their LA show minutes after they had been released, six of them so that they, their friends Taylor and Chad, and Sharpay and Zeke could go and see the group's favourite band. Everyone else was in, but Troy was using the six tickets as one of Gabriella's gifts. Six tickets for the sixth day.

They were currently in Troy's pocket, waiting for the right moment for him to give them to her, and this moment seemed like the best one.

"Wait, you'd trade me for a concert ticket?" Troy asked with a gasp. "Me? Your loving fiancé?"

Gabriella nodded.

"Well it's a good thing I got tickets, cause I'd hate to be traded."

Troy let the sentence sink in, watching Gabriella's face as her expression went from confused to ecstatic.

"Tickets? You got tickets? How many? One is for me, right?" Gabriella rushed through her sentence, the questions all forming without Troy having time to answer.

"I have tickets. Right here on my persons. 6 of them, for us and our crazy best friends who would probably kill us both if we went without them," Troy managed to get out as Gabriella started to cough. "And of course one is for you, silly girl."

"Oh my god, I have to call Taylor!" Gabriella bounced, moving to stand up from the couch when Troy caught her hands and pulled her back down.

"Taylor's at work, you can call her tonight," Troy reasoned. "And don't you want to see the tickets? Just in case this is a trick?"

"It would be a nasty, nasty trick, Troy Bolton," Gabriella scolded. "If you're not serious about having tickets you might want to sleep with one eye open."

"I'll show you the tickets," Troy started. "If you give me a kiss."

Obliging, Gabriella lent over and pressed her soft lips to Troy's for a second.

"There. Show me the tickets!"

"You want to see the tickets after _that_?" Troy exclaimed. "That's how you kiss your old Great Aunty that smells like cats and cabbage!"

"Fine!" Gabriella pretended to be unhappy about having to kiss Troy, but the truth was, just that soft kiss had reminded her that they hadn't really kissed in over a day and a half, thanks to Gabriella's flu, which was a long time for the young pair.

Leaning forward once more, Gabriella slid her arms around Troy's neck as their lips joint in a soft kiss and Troy's hands found Gabriella's hips, guiding her to sit, straddling his lap as he ran his tongue slowly across her full bottom lip, asking her entrance. Gabriella wasted no time letting Troy have access to her mouth, their tongues tangling in a slow, passion filled kiss, neither rushing the action or wanting to be the first to break for air.

After a few minutes Gabriella pulled away, her chest heaving as she caught her breath and she laid her head on Troy's shoulder, her face pressed into his neck where she breathed in his scent as she waited for her heart to stop racing.

"I love you," Troy whispered gently, knowing he could never say it enough to show Gabriella just how strong his love was.

"I love you too," Gabriella said back softly, raising her head so that their eyes met. "As long as you're really not kidding about those tickets."

Troy laughed shifting Gabriella to sit closer to his knees so that he could grab the envelope from his pocket. He handed the envelope to Gabriella and she quickly opened it, taking out the tickets and examining them with a huge grin on her face.

"We're going to Kings of Leon!" She cried happily. "In three days!"

"We're going, if you're feeling better," Troy cautioned. "So you better rest up, baby."

Gabriella scrambled off Troy's lap, laying back down on the opposite end of the couch and smirking at him.

"Baby? Can you get me a bottle of water? I'd get it myself, but you know, I need to rest," Gabriella giggled as Troy rolled his eyes.

"You know what? I get the feeling you're already feeling much better," Troy spoke as he got up to get her water. "15 more gifts, Brie."

_Six concert tickets._


	7. Day 7

**A/N: Day 7! That means I've been doing this for a week, and there's 2 more weeks to go! Hope everyone is still enjoying this, cause I'm having lots of fun writing it!**

_On the seventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…_

On Wednesday Gabriella's excitement for the Kings of Leon concert on Friday night had faded due to Troy making her stay home for another day to make sure she was properly over the flu enough to return to work.

Troy had to go into work early that morning, so Gabriella had woken up early when he woke, had breakfast with him and then spent the next few hours catching up on chores around the house.

She was feeling much better, thanks to living with Troy the health food and gym fanatic she was healthy and so the flu hadn't hit her as hard as it would most people. But she still was rather sore and the cough was lingering and so Troy had convinced her to have one last day off work to ensure she was healthy for the concert that weekend.

Plus, Troy had told her that there would be a gift arriving for her that afternoon, her seventh gift.

And for that, Gabriella was beyond excited.

She had tried to think of what Troy could be having delivered to her and all she could come up with was flowers. As soon as Troy's plan had come to light, Gabriella had been hoping for 12 red roses, or maybe even a greater number of the pretty flower.

"Seven flowers seems like a strange number of flowers, isn't it?" She asked Grace who was asleep on her lap. "But what else would he be having delivered?"

Reaching for the television remote, Gabriella glanced up at the clock, seeing it was 11:40am. Sighing she started to flick through the channels again, as if there would be something interesting on that wasn't on five minutes ago when she looked.

---

An hour later, Gabriella woke to the sound of the doorbell ringing, she jumped up from the couch, almost knocking Grace to the floor in her haste.

Throwing open the door Gabriella's smile dropped as she was met with the overly excited face of her friend Sharpay Evans.

"I know I'm not your lover boy, but I had the day off and you said last night when you called that you were home sick today so I decided to come and see you," Sharpay said in her usual quick, high-toned manner. "Are you going to let me in?"

"Sure, Shar, come in," Gabriella said with a laugh, stepping aside to let the blonde in. "And why would Troy knock? It's his house too, he'd just waltz on in."

"Whatever," Sharpay rolled her eyes. "What did you get today?"

"Nothing yet," Gabriella flopped down onto the couch and Sharpay settled down next to her, being careful not to crease her hot pink dress. "Troy said it would be delivered in the afternoon."

"Delivered?" Sharpay squealed. "It must be flowers."

"That's what I thought too," Gabriella explained. "But seven flowers? That's a weird number."

"True," Sharpay agreed. "But what else could be getting delivered?"

"Guess I'll find out soon?" Gabriella shrugged, picking up Grace who was meowing on the floor.

"She's so cute," Sharpay cued. "I want a baby. But not one that cries and needs it's diaper changed and stuff."

Gabriella laughed. "I think maybe you should just get a kid's doll, Shar."

"Maybe. Though Zeke would change diapers and stop it crying, right?"

"I'd say he would," Gabriella nodded. "We've been talking about babies."

"I say he would too… wait what?"

Gabriella blushed. "Well we're engaged right? And we have steady jobs and a house and a bunch of savings, so we decided once we're married, we'll start trying for a baby."

"Why not try now? You might not get married for another 5 years," Sharpay said excitedly. "I'm going to be an aunty!"

"I get the feeling we'll set a date soon," Gabriella giggled. "Troy seems really keen to be married soon, and I'm ready whenever he is."

"You two are like cotton candy covered in maple syrup, sickly sweet," Sharpay grumbled. "I wish Zeke would ask me to marry him."

Just as Gabriella went to answer, the doorbell rung again and both girls jumped up from their seats, scrambling to the front door. Sharpay stepped in front and smiled sweetly at the delivery man standing there.

"Hi, I'm Gabriella Montez," she grinned, spying the balloons at the same time as Gabriella and they let out a collective gasp.

"Well you're a lucky girl, Miss Montez, these are for you," the man said as he thrust the strings of the helium balloons into Sharpay's hand. "You have a nice day."

Wordlessly Gabriella and Sharpay stepped back into the house, Sharpay still holding the seven differently coloured, heart shaped balloons.

"Screw Zeke, I'm marrying your man, step aside," Sharpay laughed as Gabriella grabbed the balloons from her hand and pulled her phone out of her pocket, sending off a quick txt to Troy before she grinned at her friend.

"Over my dead body, Shar," Gabriella laughed. "Get your own man and your own balloons."

_Seven heart balloons._


	8. Day 8

**A/N: I just want to thank everyone who has reviewed this story, at the time of posting this, it has 130 reviews for 7 chapters, and in my mind that is just amazing! Also a thanks to the 57 people who have added this to their favourites and the 101 people who have this on their alerts :)!**

**I give you, Day 8!  
**

_On the eight day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…_

Gabriella was thankful that the flu epidemic was starting to fade, the other 4th grade teachers were back at work, so she only had her class to worry about, and most of her students were back in the classroom which allowed learning to get back to normal.

Well as normal as learning could be with just over a week left of school before Christmas break. Gabriella's class was already getting well into the Christmas spirit, the students had spend the morning making Christmas decorations for the classroom, incorporated cleverly into their subjects.

"Miss Montez?" A small voice spoke out and Gabriella looked up from what she was working on to see a small girl standing in front of her desk.

"Yes, Millie?" Gabriella smiled at the shy but very intelligent girl standing there.

"I was wondering when we're actually going to do school work today?" Millie asked with a look of concern on her face. "My Mommy won't be happy that all we've done today is art."

"You see, Millie, secretly, this is art but it's also reading and math," Gabriella pointed out. "You have to read the instructions of how to make your decorations, and you have to measure out what the instructions tell you too, plus you get to colour. I thought this would be a fun morning for everyone, aren't you enjoying yourself?"

"I am," the little blonde girl insisted. "I just didn't want my Mommy to be mad at me for not learning nothing today."

"Well you can tell your Mommy that you learnt lots of things this morning, following written instructions, how to help out your friends, how to share with your friends," Gabriella smiled at Millie. "And I promise after lunch we'll do some proper science and geography, okay?"

Millie nodded her head before hurrying back to her seat, and Gabriella smiled to herself at how cute her students were as she heard Millie relaying to her friends about what learning they were doing.

"Miss Montez?" A red haired girl from Millie's table piped up. "Do we _really_ have to do proper schoolwork after lunch?"

"I'll tell you what," Gabriella reasoned. "If we do science and some more math straight after lunch, then for the rest of the afternoon we'll play a geography game, okay?"

An excited chorus of "okay" went around the room and Gabriella laughed to herself about how the mention of a "game" could make any subject sound like it was going to be fun and not learning.

---

Gabriella felt dead on her feet as she finally arrived home almost an hour late that night, the staff meeting had gone late, and then Gabriella still had work to do afterwards in preparation for the next day. But she was finally home and she could smell cooked chicken as she came in the front door.

"Hey baby," Troy called out and Gabriella dumped her bags by the front door before heading through to the kitchen to find him.

Troy turned to give Gabriella a quick kiss as she slid up behind him, resting her forehead on his back, feeling his muscles move under her head as he continued chopping the ingredients for their salad.

"Long day?" Troy asked as Gabriella groaned.

"I hate staff meetings," she announced. "I feel like such a little kid while they're all being like… teachers."

"I don't know if you noticed, Brie, but you're a teacher too," Troy teased. "Do you want to go and find Grace and feed her before we eat? I think she's in the living room asleep on the couch."

Gabriella thought Troy's request was a little odd, usually Grace's food was constantly available to her, since she was still so little she ate small meals often, but she decided to do as he asked anyway and went in search of the small ball of fluff.

But as Gabriella got into the living room and looked on the couch, there was no sign of Grace, instead, there was a medium sized parcel in the spot that the kitten liked to curl up in.

Squealing, Gabriella grabbed the gift and hurried back to her now smirking boyfriend.

"Happy eighth day," Troy grinned as he leant down to kiss Gabriella, but she dodged his lips, placing the gift on the table and tearing the wrapping paper off.

"Eight seasons?" She cried out. "Oh my gosh, Troy!"

Gabriella pounced into Troy's arms, wrapping her arms around his neck as his wrapped around her waist.

"Am I not the best boyfriend ever," Troy teased. "Bet you couldn't work out what today's gift was."

"I haven't worked out ANY of the gifts," Gabriella pointed out. "And you are the best boyfriend ever… unless Johnny Depp came knocking, then you might have some competition."

"Johnny Depp wouldn't buy you, and be prepared to sit through, seasons 3 to 10 of Friends," Troy scowled. "Only someone as great as I, Troy Bolton would do that."

"Can we watch them now?" Gabriella asked excitedly as Troy placed her back on her feet. "Please, please, please!"

"Well obviously we can't watch all eight seasons now," Troy teased. "Unless you plan on drinking a serious amount of coffee and skipping out on work and the concert tomorrow night."

The mention of the Kings of Leon concert the next night had Gabriella squealing and bouncing on her toes.

"You know what I mean, Troy," she pouted through her squeals. "We can have dinner on the couch, just this once, right?"

When her and Troy had moved into their house, they had agreed that dinner was always to be eaten at the dinner table where they could catch up on each others day, and get in a good habit for when they had children and could do the same with them.

"Only if you give me a kiss," Troy bribed, remembering the kiss a few days earlier when he had bribed Gabriella.

But this time she outsmarted him.

Gabriella tangled her fingers in Troy's dark hair, pulling his mouth down to hers and sucking gently on his bottom lip before turning the gesture into a soft kiss that she allowed him to take control of. Just as Troy nibbled on her bottom lip, asking for entrance, Gabriella broke the kiss.

Stepping away from the dazed and confused Troy, Gabriella picked up her new dvds and hurried out of the room and into the living room, knowing Troy would bring their chicken salad in with him and eat on the couch like she wanted, because whatever she wanted, was what he wanted too.

_Eight seasons of Friends._


	9. Day 9

**A/N: Sorry that this wasn't out yesterday, there was a death in my family, so I wasn't in the mood for writing. But here is yesterday's chapter, and today's chapter will be up in an hour or so. Apologies for the delay.**

_On the ninth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…_

It had been a long day for Gabriella, Christmas preparations at the school were well under way and the excitement was rubbing off on the students. It was near impossible to get her class to listen to a word she was saying, and more than once she had to threaten that they wouldn't be performing in the school Christmas concert if they couldn't behave in the classroom.

She was more than glad to get home that afternoon, especially since it was the night of the Kings of Leon concert, and she had rushed home from work, barely keeping to the speed limit, only to find she had beaten Troy home, and he was meant to be home an hour before her.

Letting herself into the house, she kicked off her shoes and dumped her bags by the door, something she did every day, no matter how often she thought she should just put them away when she got home rather than having to do it later. Gabriella headed to the phone to see if Troy had rung and left a message, but the voicemail inbox was empty.

Though she was slightly worried about the whereabouts of her boyfriend – thoughts of car accidents and carjackers went through her mind – she decided to get changed out of her work clothes and into clothes that were more comfortable for concert going.

Deciding against taking her shoes and bags with her, Gabriella headed upstairs to her and Troy's bedroom, going straight to the closet to find her favourite pair of jeans. Looking through the clothes in there, twice, Gabriella was unable to find the pair she wanted, and although she had many pairs of jeans that to the unknowing eye all looked the same, she only wanted to wear a particular pair.

Heading over to the dresser, Gabriella thought she heard the front door opening, but when she didn't hear Troy's footsteps, nor him calling out to her, she went back to looking for her jeans.

Though she didn't find her jeans, Gabriella picked out a black Kings of Leon t-shirt to wear - though she knew she'd buy another one at the show – and some clean underwear to put on after her shower she would be having, if only she could find her jeans.

Thinking that maybe they were in the laundry, Gabriella went back downstairs, but she still couldn't find them. Just as she was about to give up and wear another pair of jeans she heard the sound of Troy's car pulling up in and she was momentarily distracted.

Gabriella threw open the front door as Troy stepped out of his car, and the first thing she noticed was the faint marks of blood on his light blue scrubs.

"Troy," she gasped. "What happened? Are you okay?"

"There was a car accident," Troy replied sadly and Gabriella's mind was rushed with images of broken bodies. "There was a little boy, only two years old, sitting in the front seat and he went through the windshield."

Gabriella felt herself pale and she reached out for Troy, both to comfort him and herself. "Was he… was he okay?" She whispered.

"He had surgery. 5 broken bones and some bad gashes and internal bleeding," Troy said softly. "But he's going to be okay."

"Poor little guy," Gabriella responded. "Come on, you look like you need a hot shower."

Troy only nodded his agreement, he had seen some nasty things in his time at the hospital, but it still crushed him when he saw little kids being injuried, especially when the accident could've been avoided. As they reached their bedroom, Gabriella kissed Troy gently before nudging him in the direction of the bathroom before she went back to looking for the jeans.

A short while later, both Troy and Gabriella were showered and dressed in jeans and Kings of Leon t-shirts, with Troy having found Gabriella's jeans hanging in the closet, right in front of her eyes the whole time. Remembering that he was yet to give Gabriella her gift for the day, Troy went and grabbed the small bag and handed it to Gabriella with a smile.

"Happy day nine," he grinned.

Gabriella's face broke out into a smile, with the concert and being worried for Troy, she had forgotten about the day's gift, but now she was eager to see what Troy had come up with for that day.

Peering in the bag, Gabriella looked puzzled as she noticed a bunch of small, gift wrapped boxes. Taking one of the boxes from the bag, she unwrapped it, her smile widening as she worked out what Troy had bought her for day 9.

In each of the small boxes was a small silver charm for her charm bracelet, each that she immediately related to something that reminded her of Troy and their relationship. As each box was opened and the charm slid onto the bracelet, Gabriella felt her heart melt more and more at just how much thought Troy had put into the gift, knowing it would've taken him hours to find nine fitting charms that she didn't already possess.

---

Four hours later, Troy and Gabriella were having the time of their lives at the Kings of Leon concert with their friends. Troy had his arms protectively wrapped around Gabriella's waist, preventing her from getting squashed by the other people in the crowded area as she bounced and danced to the music.

_I've been roaming around, I was looking down at all I see  
Painted faces fill the places I can't reach  
You know that I could use somebody  
You know that I could use somebody_

As chorus of the current song pumped through the room, Gabriella raised her arm as she started to bounce in time with the music, and the stage lights caught on her new silver charms, day nine's gift, and caught Troy's eye. Unable to help himself, Troy moved one hand to grasp Gabriella's wrist, kissing her palm as he wrapped his hand around her charm bracelet, both new and older charms digging lightly into his hand as he did so, but everything else in that moment was wiped away. The slight hint of pain in Troy's hand, the music in their ears, the guy who kept shoving his elbow in Troy's back, and the sweaty guy who was all too close to Gabriella, they all ceased to exist.

_You know that I could use somebody  
Someone like you_

In that moment it was just the two of them.

_Nine silver charms._


	10. Day 10

**A/N: And here is today's chapter! Huge huge thanks to Stace for helping me with this chapter, I probably would've given up and gone to bed otherwise. Also Happy Birthday to Vanessa Hudgens who is 21 today! Hope you enjoy day 10!**

_On the tenth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…_

Gabriella and Troy arrived home at 11.30pm from the Kings of Leon concert, they had declined going out with Taylor, Chad, Zeke and Sharpay, because Troy had work on Saturday morning and so he couldn't be out too late, and Gabriella didn't want to be the fifth wheel.

"Baby?" Gabriella asked as the pair entered their darkened house. "It's almost day ten."

"It is, and it'll still be day ten when we wake up."

"But it's _almost_ day ten now."

"Well I do have the gift ready for you to open," Troy thought out loud. "I'll go and get it, meet you in the living room."

Squealing in happiness, Gabriella bounced off to the living room, leaving Troy to go upstairs and get the gift for Gabriella, though he knew already that he wasn't going to let her open it until the clock struck midnight. And he knew that was going to drive his girlfriend crazy.

Grabbing the gift from the guest bedroom, Troy headed back downstairs, hearing Gabriella's soft voice drifting through the house as she sung the song that Kings of Leon had closed the show with. Troy knew that Gabriella was on a high from the concert atmosphere and he planned on using that to his advantage since she would be more likely to respond to his teasing about the present.

"There you are!" Gabriella exclaimed as Troy entered the room. "I thought you'd gotten lost."

"Brie, I was gone for less than two minutes, you crazy girl," Troy laughed as he slipped the envelope into his front pocket, Gabriella's dark chocolate eyes following his moves.

"Why did you put it away?" She questioned and Troy shrugged his shoulders.

"It's still day nine, you already got your nine charms," he reasoned.

"That's not very fair," Gabriella pouted, stepping closer to Troy as he took a step back.

"It's not very fair if you get two gifts in one day," Troy argued. "So you'll just have to wait til midnight."

"If you give me the gift now, I'll make sure you're too distracted to know when it's really midnight," Gabriella tempted Troy, biting on her bottom lip to illustrate her point.

"Or you could wait til midnight, and then you can distract me from anything you like."

"Spoil sport," Gabriella pouted, pinching Troy's arm lightly and stalking across the room to drop down onto the couch. "I hate waiting."

"Well I'm moving out when you're pregnant," Troy teased. "When you have to wait 9 months for the baby to come out, you're going to be cranky."

"Screw you," Gabriella said as she poked out her tongue. "You're so mean."

"If I was mean, I'd make you wait til the morning instead of just midnight," Troy pointed out.

Deciding to ignore him if he was going to tease her, Gabriella picked up the tv remote and switched it on, still ignoring Troy as she started to flick through the tv channels, stopping on a stand-up comedy show.

"Why are all these stand up comedians so.. unfunny?" Troy questioned after a few minutes, looking over at Gabriella when she didn't answer him, just to find her watching him with a small pout playing on her lips.

"Does it really matter if I get my gift 15 minutes early?" Gabriella asked in her sweetest voice, batting her eyelashes for effect.

"Does it really matter if you get your gift 15 minutes late?" Troy answered, gaining a scowl from Gabriella. "I thought so."

The pair sat in silence for the next ten minutes, watching the comedy show and the clock until Gabriella couldn't stand to wait anymore.

Sitting up she swung a leg over Troy's lap, sitting so that she was straddling him. Quickly attaching their lips, Gabriella twisted her fingers in Troy's hair, allowing him access to her mouth in a bid to distract him enough so that she could get the gift from his pocket.

Troy knew what Gabriella was planning, and had anticipated she would try and kiss him to distract him and so he had moved the envelope from his pocket when she was looking at the tv and hid it under one of the couch cushions.

He could feel one of her hands sneaking from his neck down to his shoulder, over his chest and abdomen before settling on the top of his pocket.

Gabriella tried to concentrate on kissing Troy so he couldn't notice her hand sneaking into his pocket, but she didn't realise that he was waiting for her to do exactly that.

Once her hand was in his pocket, Troy flipped them so he was hovering over Gabriella.

"What are you trying to get, baby?" He whispered as Gabriella let out a groan of frustration.

"Nothing?"

"Liar," Troy grinned. "You were going for the present, which isn't there."

The pair stared into each other's eyes for what felt like a lifetime, both forgetting why Troy had Gabriella pinned to the couch as they got lost in each other.

That was, until the clock struck midnight and Gabriella squealed.

Deciding he'd teased her long enough, Troy sat up, bringing Gabriella back up with him. Reaching under the cushion he produced the envelope, handing it to his excited girlfriend who tore into it.

Inside the envelope was a book of 10 tickets for the cinema, one of Gabriella's favourite places in the world and Gabriella squealed once more.

"That's so you can go and see whatever ten movies you want to see," Troy pointed out pointlessly.

"Thank you, Troy," Gabriella said softly, it hitting her again how sweet he was to think of all these gifts for her.

Gabriella reconnected their lips, the gift dropping out of her hand, laying forgotten as the pair got lost in each other for the next few hours, Gabriella showing to Troy how much he meant to her in one of the best ways she knew how.

_Ten trips to the cinema._


	11. Day 11

**A/N: Sorry again for the lateness in chapters, been a busy few days but things are calming down now and I'll be all caught up tomorrow. Huge thanks to Corii for helping me with the location in this chapter. Hope you all enjoy!**

_On the eleventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…_

Gabriella yawned as she reached over to turn the heat up in the car some more. It was 8am on Sunday and Troy had woken her an hour earlier, practically shoving her into the shower and then into some clothes before directing her to the car.

"Where are we going?" Gabriella asked for the hundredth time since Troy had woken her, and for the hundredth time, Troy shrugged.

"I dunno," he said casually, not taking his eyes off the road but reaching over and taking Gabriella's hand in his own.

"Liar," Gabriella pouted.

Although Gabriella loved surprises, she loved trying to convince Troy to tell her about them before they happened even more, though he hardly ever budged.

"Are you going to pout for the whole two hours it takes for us to get there?" Troy asked with a smile.

"Two hours? Are we going to the beach?"

"Why would we go to the beach in the middle of winter? It's like 55 degrees out right now," Troy pointed out. "And even if you guessed where we are going, I wouldn't tell you that you were right."

"I'm not sure I want to marry such an evil man," Gabriella announced. "I think I'm going to go and find me a nice actor man, I hear they're nice."

"Have fun with your actor man who isn't giving you 21 days of gifts."

"I will," Gabriella took her hand from Troy's hand, crossing her arms over her chest as a smile played on his lips which Troy caught out the corner of his eye.

"Fine."

"Very fine."

"Extremely fine."

"Tremendously fine."

The pair sat in silence for a few minutes, until Gabriella sighed and reached out to take Troy's hand in her own again, lacing their fingers together and resting them on his thigh.

"Silence is boring," she complained and Troy smirked.

"So are we engaged again?" He teased and Gabriella nodded.

"If you tell me where we're going, I'll marry you tomorrow."

"I'm willing to wait," Troy grinned. "Come on, let's play eye spy."

"Me first!" Gabriella exclaimed. "I spy with my little eye, something beginning with…. C."

"Coffee?"

"No."

"Car?"

"No."

"Umm cow?" Troy gestured to the cow air freshener.

"Nope."

"Console? Chocolate? Curly hair?"

"Nope, not even close," Gabriella grinned.

Troy continued guessing for a few more minutes before he gave up and Gabriella grinned in triumph.

"Clicker," she cried, pointed at the seatbelt buckle.

"Babe, that's a buckle, not a clicker."

"Is not," Gabriella cried out. "I've always called it a clicker!"

Troy shook his head, this was going to be a long drive if they continued to play eye spy.

---

Troy thought he was going to go deaf from Gabriella's squeals of excitement as they pulled up to Big Bear Lake and she jumped from the car into the snow.

"Gabriella!" Troy scolded as he got out too. "You need to put on warmer clothes, silly."

As Troy finished speaking a snowball hit him and Gabriella's giggles washed over him.

"Sorry, I just had to get you first," Gabriella giggled. "You packed warmer clothes?"

"Of course, I'm prepared like that," Troy grinned, wrapping his arm around Gabriella's waist and leading her to the trunk of the car and getting out the backpack that was inside and the two thick jackets that were there as well.

"Ooh, new jacket!" Gabriella squealed, kissing Troy quickly before grabbing the item and quickly shrugging into it. "Thank you, Troy!"

"You're welcome, but you might want to put on the rest of the warm clothes I have here for you, otherwise you'll never live to see your wedding day, whether it is tomorrow or in ten years."

Gabriella allowed Troy to lead her away to get changed into their thermals and waterproof pants, gloves and boots before she dragged him back outside, her excitement contagious which lead to her and Troy engaging in a long, serious snowball fight which left them both breathless as they lay in the snow.

"I miss having a white Christmas," Gabriella sighed as they lay in the cold slush.

"Me too, and I couldn't bring you here for actual Christmas, because well, I'm sure our parents would be annoyed if we screwed off for Christmas, so I figured putting it as part of your gifts was the perfect solution."

"So thoughtful," Gabriella murmured as she sat up slightly, turning to face Troy. "I love that about you."

"I love that you love that about me," Troy grinned cheekily. "Do you want to go innertubing?"

Gabriella was up on her feet in seconds, holding out her hands for Troy who got to his feet a little more slowly.

"Come on, Troy! Tubing!" Gabriella cried excitedly, tugging on Troy's hand even though she had no idea which way they were meant to go. Troy let her tug him along for a few seconds before he scooped her up in his arms, not caring that her clothes were damp as he held her close.

"We need to go that way," Troy said gently as he nuzzled his cold nose against Gabriella's equally as cold cheek.

Gabriella didn't even notice that Troy hadn't given an actual indication of which way they were meant to go, in fact, she hadn't even heard him speak a single word, all she could think about was how lucky she was to be in the arms of the sweetest guy in the world.

_11 hours of winter fun._


	12. Day 12

_On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…_

Gabriella hated going home at night to an empty house, not only did she not like the dark at the best of times, she hated the quiet, and without Troy home to talk to, the house was nothing but quiet no matter how loud Gabriella had the tv on.

Troy working late was the reason why Gabriella had first stayed late at school, making sure everything was ready for the next day, and even some things were ready for the day after that too, then she headed to the supermarket to get something to make for dinner.

She had spent a long time walking through the aisles, trying to decide on something nice to make Troy for all his hard work he had been doing with her gifts and when she decided, she spent an even longer time comparing products, reading labels and prices, something she hardly ever bothered to do on the account of her hatred of supermarkets and the rude people that seemed to inhabit them.

After an usually long conversation with both the girl at the checkout and the old lady in the car next to hers, Gabriella finally headed home, still having an hour to kill before Troy was home, an hour alone in a dark, quiet house.

As she opened the front door, her arms filled with bags from the supermarket as well as the bags she took daily to work, she breathed a sigh of relief that Troy had turned the lights on in the entrance way, living room and kitchen before he left, though it was 3pm when he went to work and it wouldn't of been dark then.

Carrying the bags through to the kitchen, Gabriella placed them on the counter as a sudden realisation swept over her, what if Troy hadn't turned the lights on when he left, what if someone was already in her house?

Trembling, Gabriella pulled her cell phone out of her pocket, dialling Troy's number but pausing before she pushed the call button.

"_Why would someone hiding in my house bother to turn on the lights?_" She thought to herself. "_Troy usually leaves the lights on for me, that's why they were on today, there's not some knife wielding killer lurking anywhere._"

Not really feeling much better at the thought of someone with a knife possibly or possibly not being in her house, Gabriella put her phone on the counter and started to unpack the groceries.

As she was onto the second bag something hit into her leg and Gabriella screamed, jumping back in fright only to look down and see a confused looking Grace watching her owner as if she was outright crazy.

"Gracie!" Gabriella scolded as she picked up the bundle of fluff. "You scared me!"

The kitten only purred, nuzzling her face into Gabriella's hand which made Gabriella giggle, forgetting that she was a few moments ago scared that she was being attacked.

As Gabriella finished unpacking the rest of the groceries, Grace played in the kitchen, catching imaginary things on the floor and having tons of fun chasing Gabriella as she walked around the kitchen.

Finally Gabriella started cooking dinner, wrapping the lemon and pepper coated fish in foil and placing it in the oven along with some potatoes before she started on the salad.

She was so wrapped up in her preparing dinner that the sound of her phone alerting her to a txt message startled her and made her almost step on Grace who was behind her.

As the kitten scampered from the room, Gabriella called out an apology before reaching for her phone, smiling when she saw it was a text message from Troy telling her that he was leaving the hospital early and he would be home in twenty minutes.

Deciding to have a romantic candle lit dinner, Gabriella finished up the salad, placing the bowl in the refrigerator to stay fresh while she went to find some candles in the living room.

When she entered the living room though, Gabriella got a surprise, for the furniture had all been pushed to one side and in the middle of the room was stacks of magazines, all of Gabriella's Digital Photography magazines to be precise.

And the magazines spelt out a special message, one that left no doubt in Gabriella's mind as to who had got 5 years worth of magazines out of the attic and arranged them specially in the living room to spell out "I love you".

Gabriella also noticed a large envelope sitting at the end of the message and she picked it up, realising it had her name on it. She opened it and pulled out the single sheet of paper inside, reading that Troy had bought her a 12 month subscription to her favourite magazine, the same one he had professed his love to her through on their living room floor.

Even more determined now to make him a special dinner, Gabriella took one last look at the magazine phrase and went back in search of the candles, finding the ones she was looking for and heading back to the kitchen.

Setting out the table, Gabriella decided that if they were going to have a special fancy dinner, she should really be wearing something nicer than a sweater covered in finger-paint from work.

As Troy entered the house, Gabriella was coming down the stairs in a beautiful white dress complete with heels and freshly brushed curls.

"You are the sweetest boyfriend in the world," Gabriella announced as she walked into Troy's open arms at the bottom of the stairs. "There's some clothes on the bed, get changed into them and then come downstairs for dinner, okay?"

Troy nodded, kissing Gabriella passionately for a minute before letting her go, heading up the stairs to do as she had asked, getting dressed and going back downstairs where the delicious smell of dinner was wafting through the house.

"You did all this for me?" He asked Gabriella as he slid up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, kissing her neck gently as she unwrapped the fish from the foil and placed it on one of the plates.

"You spelt I love you in magazines, Troy. Dinner doesn't compare to that in a million years," Gabriella pointed out. "Not to mention you got me the subscription, I was so stunned at the message I barely noticed the envelope."

"I would've pointed it out to you," Troy laughed softly as he hugged her tighter to him. "Mmmm smells good."

"It's lemon and black pepper fish," Gabriella told him as she picked up the now filled plates and Troy stepped back from her so she could place them on the candlelit table.

"I wasn't talking about the food, silly girl," Troy winked as he held out Gabriella's chair for her, dropping a kiss on her dark curls as he pushed her closer to the table before taking the seat across from her.

_Twelve months of Digital Photography._


	13. Day 13

**A/N: Sorry for the delay, family issues left me babysitting my 3 younger cousins for a few days, so my days have been torn between working and looking after them, and my nights have been spent struggling to stay awake after such hectic days. But work is finished for the next 2 weeks (Yay for Christmas break), and my cousins are being picked up in a few hours, so there should be a few more chapters today and I'll try to be all caught up within a day or so. That means the last gifts should all be given on time!**

**There's a song list at the end of this chapter, for the songs used in this. Reviews make the world go round!**

_On the thirteenth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…_

It had been a fairly uneventful day for both Troy and Gabriella, the hospital had been fairly quiet all day with no big emergencies on Troy's shift, and Gabriella was finally getting used to the chaos that would go with Christmas for the rest of her time as an elementary teacher.

But due to their lack of sleep the night before, the pair were exhausted by the time they both got home, and so they agreed that Chinese takeout was going to be the best idea for dinner, because it didn't require them moving from the couch and tv except to receive the delivery.

And that was where they still were now, Troy sitting in the middle of the couch with Gabriella's legs over his lap as she stretched out comfortably, their stomachs both full from the quantity of food they had just eaten.

"I'm going to have to hit the gym tomorrow," Troy grumbled, ever the health nut and Gabriella rolled her eyes.

"No gym talk, you're making my muscles seize up just thinking about it," she groaned, arching her back as she stretched and Troy found himself mesmerized by the slither of skin that appeared between her sweatpants and sweatshirt as she did so.

"Okay, no gym talk," he got out when he realised Gabriella was staring at him, staring at her. "What about gift talk?"

That seemed to wake Gabriella up and she bolted upright, seemingly full of energy at the mention of her gift.

"Gift talk is always welcome, as is gift giving," Gabriella grinned, scooting down the couch til she was seated in Troy's lap. "I'm really, really stuck with what you're going to get me for these higher numbers."

"You're just gunna have to stay stuck aren't you?" Troy teased, kissing her gently. "Cause I'm not gunna spill."

Gabriella pouted and Troy wasted no time capturing her full bottom lip between his teeth and nibbling gently on it before kissing her hard, remembering how many times he had wanted to do just this to his beautiful girlfriend over the hours they were apart for work during the day.

Losing herself in the feel of Troy's lips against hers, their breaths intermingled, Gabriella forgot about the gift and allowed Troy to lay her back down on the couch, his hard body pressing down against her with every inch of them touching. Troy gently rocked his hips against her, letting Gabriella feel what effect she was already having on him, which caused a low moan to rumble through her chest, only spurring Troy on more.

Letting Gabriella catch her breath, Troy moved his now tingling lips down to Gabriella's neck, licking, sucking and nipping at the soft skin there, forgetting to be gentle so that he didn't leave a mark she would have to cover up for work the next day.

Briefly the thought of her gift entered Gabriella's mind and she tangled the fingers of her left hand in Troy's hair, meaning to tug his mouth from her skin, but as his own hand crept up under her sweatshirt, Gabriella found herself pulling Troy closer to her instead.

* * *

Quite some time later, Troy and Gabriella were curled up on their bed, a tangle of arms and legs with the only way to see where one ended and the other one started was the pink cotton pajamas Gabriella was wearing and the black sweats Troy had slipped into a short time ago.

Their clothes from earlier were scattered through the house and Gabriella thought about getting up to collect them, but she decided that she was more than comfy where she was.

"If that's the reaction I'm going to get every time I mention the gym, it's going to become my most used word," Troy teased softly as he gently raked his fingers through Gabriella's curls.

"Very funny," Gabriella said sarcastically. "You started it, not me."

"I distinctly remember you moving to my lap," Troy argued. "So you started it."

"I moved to your lap because I wanted my gift," Gabriella corrected. "Oooh my gift!"

"I wondered how long til you remembered that," Troy laughed. "Come here."

Troy rolled their bodies til Gabriella was on his other side and he reached across her with one hand to settle his iPod in the dock on his bedside table. As Gabriella watched curiously, Troy selected a playlist entitled "13 Songs of Love" and hit play, letting the room fill with music.

_I could stay awake, just to hear you breathing,  
Watch you smile while you are sleeping,  
While you're far away and dreaming.  
I could spend my life in this sweet surrender,  
I could get lost in this moment forever,  
Where every moment spent with you is a moment I treasure._

Gabriella felt herself tear up at the opening lyrics to one of her favourite songs, which just happened to be the first song her and Troy had ever slow danced to at a high school dance.

The lyrics themselves mixed with Troy's voice singing them to her was enough to make her heart melt, but then Troy asked her to dance with him and she felt her heart burst into a million pieces of happiness.

Once they were up from the bed, Troy pulled Gabriella back to him, wrapping his arms tightly around her waist, keeping her flush against his body as her arms wrapped around his neck. The pair stood swaying gently to the song, Troy's voice still singing the lyrics softly until the song ended and the second one started up.

_Every night in my dreams,  
I see you, I feel you,  
That is how I know you go on.  
Far across the distance,  
And spaces between us,  
You have come to show you go on._

"I'm not singing this one," Troy whispered, making Gabriella giggle at the thought of her boyfriend trying to reach the high notes of the song.

"I think I'm glad for that," Gabriella whispered in response as she tilted her head back and reached up to bring Troy's lips to hers in a gentle kiss that lasted the whole song without either of them realising.

It wasn't til the song changed that they broke apart and Gabriella instantly burst into giggles at the memories the song brought to mind.

_Looks like we made it,  
Look how far we've come my baby.  
We might've took the long way,  
We knew we'd get there some day.  
They said "I bet they'll never make it",  
But look at us holding on,  
We're still together, still going strong._

"I can't believe you sung this on the karaoke at that bar when we were in college," Gabriella giggled. "In front of all of those people."

"I was slightly intoxicated," Troy pointed out. "Chad said it'd be a good idea."

"And this, sweetheart, is why we don't listen to Chad," Gabriella shook her head. "But the song is true, nobody thought the blue eyed, superstar jock and the boring, plain geek would make it through the first week let alone making it to getting engaged."

"Boring and plain? That was never you, Gabriella," Troy said seriously. "You were the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen, and singing with you at the lodge that night was certainly not boring, neither was hanging out on the rooftop garden, or the school musicals, or the Lava Spring talent show, and especially not chasing you all the way to Stanford to bring you prom."

"Yeah, yeah, point taken," Gabriella rolled her eyes as the song finished and she waited eagerly for the next song to start. "Lion King!"

"I knew you'd associate it to that," Troy laughed. "Don't you remember it was playing the night I asked you to marry me?"

"It was?" Gabriella screwed up her nose adorably as she tried to remember. "All I remember is trying to breathe when you were down on one knee in front of me with a ring."

_An enchanted moment,  
And it sees me through,  
It's enough for this restless warrior,  
Just to be with you.  
And can you feel the love tonight?  
It is where we are,  
It's enough for this wide-eyed wanderer,  
That we got this far._

The couple danced, sung and kissed their way through the rest of the songs, leaving the playlist playing softly on repeat as they climbed into bed and fell asleep, their dreams filled with the memories that the songs brought to them.

_Thirteen songs of love._

**Songs used in this chapter are:**

I Don't Want To Miss a thing – Aerosmith.

My Heart Will Go On – Celine Dion.

You're Still the One – Shania Twain.

Can You Feel the Love Tonight – Elton John.

**And for those interested, the rest of the 13 songs are: (these will feature over the next few chapters, so I thought I'd just mention them here)**

Truly, Madly, Deeply – Savage Garden.

Body is a Wonderland – John Mayer.

Hero – Enrique Iglesias.

One in a Million – Sandy Molling.

Unbreakable – Westlife.

You're my Number One – S Club 7.

Do You Believe in Magic – Aly and AJ.

Fearless – Taylor Swift.

I Could Get Used to This – The Veronicas


	14. Day 14

_On the fourteenth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…_

Both Troy and Gabriella were home a little after 3pm on Wednesday afternoon, and so they decided to make the most of the skies being cleared of the angry, grey rain clouds and take a picnic to a nearby park for dinner.

They stood side by side in their kitchen, preparing some food to take as they listened to Gabriella's cd version of her day 13 gift, singing along together to _Do You Believe in Magic_ as they worked.

As the song ended, Gabriella asked Troy a question out of the blue.

"What would you do if I died?"

Troy's face paled instantly, his eyes swooping over to his girlfriend to check that she was okay and not dying from a stab wound or something before he wracked his brain for any symptoms she might have of cancer or something similar.

"I don't mean right now," Gabriella pointed out as she realised Troy thought she meant in the present. "I mean if I were to cross the road tomorrow and get hit by a bus, or there was a big earthquake or a fire at school or something, and I died?"

"I don't know what I'd do," Troy furrowed his brow as he tried to figure out what had spurred the random question. "I'd probably just stop functioning."

"Would you cry?"

"Of course I would!" Troy exclaimed. "I'd have no idea what to do without you, pretty girl."

"I'm glad you'd cry," Gabriella nodded as she placed the shredded chicken into a container and put the container in the picnic basket.

"Why are you even asking this?" Troy puzzled, placing the containers of salad ingredients in with the chicken before turning back to Gabriella and grasping her tiny hands in his.

"I was just wondering if you'd cry. I haven't ever really seen you cry before," Gabriella explained. "I didn't mean to sound so morbid."

Troy shook his head. "I don't think I'll ever understand what goes on in that beautiful head of yours, Gabriella," he said, to which Gabriella simply shrugged her shoulders. "Do you want to go and get your camera before we leave?"

"Ooh I do," Gabriella said excitedly, reaching up to place a quick kiss on the corner of Troy's mouth. "I love you."

"Love you too," Troy called after her as she went to find her camera. When he was sure she was gone from the room he slipped an envelope from his back pocket into the picnic basket before going to the refrigerator and getting out a few cans of diet soda and a small bottle of wine which he added to the basket and also a bottle of chilled water, which he emptied out and placed in the basket also, followed by two plastic wine flutes.

He picked up the basket and carried it through to the front door where he waited for Gabriella to come back downstairs. Once she appeared at the top of the stairs, Troy couldn't help but watch her gracefully come down the stairs, her attention focused on whatever she was doing with her camera, her brow furrowed at something that wasn't going right with it.

"Everything okay?" Troy asked, hoping it was, because he knew absolutely nothing about cameras, and so he wouldn't be any help if there was something wrong.

"Everything's fine," Gabriella replied, looking up and noticing Troy was waiting, ready, for her. "I just forgot for a second how to change the contrast. Ready to go?"

Troy nodded, grabbing Gabriella's black coat and holding it out for her, helping her get into it before he put on his own black jacket and picked up the basket so the could leave.

The walk to the park wasn't long and the pair talked about their day while they walked, holding hands and smiling, looking like the perfect couple to all the passers-by.

Soon they were settled in a quiet spot at the park and Troy started to take out the food from the basket, smirking to himself as he came across an empty water bottle.

"Brie, can you finish unloading the basket while I go and put this in the trash?" Troy asked, holding up the object and flashing Gabriella his shiniest smile.

Gabriella wondered why Troy had to go and put the water bottle – which she was sure hadn't been in the basket when she left – in the trash instead of waiting til the end of their dinner and throwing it away with the rest of their trash.

But she soon realised her boyfriend's plans when she came across a blue envelope marked "Day 14" and she stopped unpacking the basket and looked up to see Troy watching her with a smile on his face.

Quickly opening it, Gabriella gave herself a paper cut which she swore under her breath about as she shoved her bleeding finger into her mouth, the metallic taste of the blood making her cringe.

"Let me guess, papercut?" Troy teased as he sat back down. "You okay?"

Gabriella nodded, sucking on her finger for a second more before bringing it out of her mouth and inspecting it. Seeing it was fine she resumed opening the envelope, seeing a newspaper clipping inside.

Curiously she pulled it out and read it over, and Troy watched her face for signs of whether she liked the gift or not, a smile soon confirming that he'd once again got it right.

"Fourteen photography classes?" Gabriella beamed. "Digital photography?"

"Digital," Troy confirmed. "Starts in the new year. Once a week for 14 weeks, you'll be able to learn even more tricks than you already know!"

"This is the best!" Gabriella exclaimed, throwing herself at Troy for a hug, she'd been looking at the night classes offered at a few different places around town, but she hadn't been able to find a photography class that was solely for digital photography, which was what she was interested in. "Thank you, Troy."

Troy accepted the kiss that Gabriella placed on his lips and then he pulled her to sit between his legs as he finished unloading their dinner and putting it on a plate. The two shared a plate of food and drunk their wine, talking about their plans for the holidays, all the while Troy knew that his actual plans were going to be far better than Gabriella could ever imagine.

_Fourteen photography classes._


	15. Day 15

**A/N: And they keep coming! Sorry these are all coming at the same time and late, but Christmas preperations are well underway at my house and it's hectic! Hope everyone is still enjoying this, leave a review if you are, or even if you're not!**

_On the fifteenth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…_

It had been an extremely long day for Gabriella. Her students were ready for the vacation to start, and their plain defiance had Gabriella ready for the vacation to start as well, just so she could have a break.

But it was on Thursday, which meant she had the rest of the day, and the whole next day before she was free. The counting down made Gabriella feel like she was the student, especially when she kept glancing at the clock and seeing that only a minute or two had passed since she last looked.

Hearing two of her students' voices rising above the rest of the class, Gabriella looked up from her work to see who was causing the ruckus and she wasn't surprised to find it was Russell and Josie arguing again. The two were the most headstrong children in Gabriella's class, and as a result were always ending up in arguments because neither would back down.

"Russell! Josie!" Gabriella scolded. "Up to my desk please."

She watched as the two sheepishly got up from their desks and came to stand in front of Gabriella, she hated being the mean teacher, but she didn't like arguing in her class.

"Russell, can you tell me what you were yelling about, please?" Gabriella asked, her voice back to it's usual velvety softness in order to not let the rest of the class be disrupted further by the pair.

"Josie said I couldn't make a Christmas card for just my Daddy, she said it had to be for my Mommy and my Daddy, like you had written on the board," Russell explained, and Gabriella felt her heart break for the little boy who had lost his Mom in a car accident just a year earlier.

"You _said_ to make a card for our Mommies AND Daddies," Josie pointed out, her voice rising in anger.

"I know that's what I said, Josie," Gabriella tried to reason. "But Russell might like to make his Mommy a separate card."

"Can I, Miss Montez?" Russell asked excitedly. "My Daddy will let me take it to her."

"Of course you can, Russell," Gabriella smiled. "You can go back to your desk now and keep working on your Christmas cards."

Russell moved away from the front of the classroom and went back to his desk where Gabriella could see him picking out another card and starting to decorate it for his Mom.

"Thank you for remembering my instructions, Josie," Gabriella smiled at the little girl. "But there wasn't any need to yell at Russell, you should've come and talked to me, or put your hand up to get my attention if you thought something was wrong."

"Sorry, Miss Montez," Josie said softly. "Can I go say sorry to Russell too?"

Gabriella nodded at her young student and watched as she went back to her desk too, speaking quietly to Russell – too quietly for Gabriella to hear what she said – but Gabriella knew that she had apologised when Russell smiled at his classmate and slid the card closer to her so that she could see what he had done.

Just as Gabriella was inwardly "awwing" at the cute interaction between her two students, she heard a cry from another.

Her dark eyes swept over the classroom to find the source of the tears and they landed on Millie who had tears streaming down her face.

Quickly getting up from her desk, Gabriella headed over to the group of desks where Millie sat and saw Angel - a red headed girl who sat next to Millie – scowling at the tears.

"_And there's the source of the tears," _Gabriella thought to herself as she knelt between the two girl's chairs.

"What's the matter, Millie?" Gabriella cooed, scanning over the little girl to see if she had any marks on her, since Angel was rather well known for lashing out at other students.

"Angel drew on the card I made for my Mommy and Daddy," Millie sobbed, pointing at her card which had purple scribbles all over it.

Gabriella looked over at Angel who was clutching a purple crayon. "Angel, is that what happened?"

"Yeah," the little girl mumbled. "She kept just using the same colour crayon though!"

"Angel," Gabriella said sternly, but just as she opened her mouth to continue to scold Angel, there was a rap on the door and the class all spun to see who it was.

In the classroom walked a delivery man. And a huge bouquet of red roses that covered his face.

"Gabriella Montez?" He asked, spying the teacher, whom he assumed the flowers were for, kneeling on the floor.

Gabriella stood and walked over to the delivery man, estimating that there were more than a dozen roses in his arms, which could mean that this was her day 15 gift.

She took the roses that the delivery man held out, and there was her second surprise.

The delivery man wasn't some random stranger, hired to deliver flowers for a living.

It was her very own boyfriend, using up his lunch break to delivery her gift.

_Fifteen red roses._


	16. Day 16

**A/N: Sorry for the huge delay on this chapter, I got caught up in Christmas activities and then I kinda sliced 4 of my fingers open and have 9 stitches which makes it rather painful to type, so this chapter took a few days to actually type though I knew exactly what I wanted to write. So this story is just about wrapping up, and then I have plans for an outtakes of this story, which will be M rated for sexual content (just a prewarning there). **

**This chapter is for Corii who came up with the gift idea for this and has helped me so much with writing this story, and Mona for her never subtle hints to get my writing fingers on and to give her an update!**

**Happy New Year to everyone, I hope 2010 brings happy times to all my readers :). **

_On the sixteenth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…_

Gabriella had a huge smile across her face as she entered the house on Friday. She was officially on vacation from work for the next few weeks, and she could now get the house ready for Christmas, hanging Christmas lights and putting up decorations and getting a tree.

"Troy?" Gabriella called out as she entered the silent house, she had seen his car parked in the driveway and so she knew he was home, but she couldn't hear him.

"Upstairs!" Troy called back a few seconds later and Gabriella decided to take her bags up to her bedroom while she was heading there, rather than having to do it later like she normally would.

As Gabriella entered the bedroom she was greeted with the lovely sight of her boyfriend's bare chest as he stood in the middle of the room in a unbuttoned white shirt and a pair of black slacks.

"Going somewhere?" Gabriella asked curiously as she racked her brain trying to remember if Troy had mentioned going out with Chad or anyone from his work.

"I sure am," Troy smirked, enjoying watching Gabriella's confusion as she tried to work out what he was doing.

"With Chad?"

"Nope."

"Guys from work?"

"Nope."

"Zeke?"

"I have a date," Troy confessed in a mock whisper, quickly standing up when he saw Gabriella pale slightly. "I was just teasing, Brie."

"You're not going on a date?" Gabriella stammered out, feeling her heart move from her throat and back into her chest.

"I am," Troy corrected. "And with the most beautiful woman I know."

Finally getting what Troy was hinting at Gabriella rolled her eyes and shoved his chest playfully.

"You're such a dork," she accused. "I was really worried you were going out on a date with someone!"

"But I am!" Troy argued. "Going out with you, on a date. Now hurry up and get showered and dressed, we have reservations for 6."

Shaking her head at her fiancé's ways, Gabriella walked through the bedroom and into the shower, starting up the hot water before she stripped out of her clothes and poked her head around the corner of the door to talk to Troy.

"Troy?" Gabriella asked, getting Troy's attention as he rifled in the bedside drawer for something. "Where are we going? So I know what to wear."

"That's a surprise, baby," Troy winked. "But it's fancy, so wear one of those special occasion dresses you never wear for me."

Gabriella nodded before turning around in the bathroom and walking over to the shower that had now heated up, unaware that the bathroom door was open enough for Troy to hungrily watch her naked body in the hot water.

_Why did I think to take her out of the house when we could be spending the night in bed?_ Troy thought to himself before he forced himself to tear his eyes from his fiancé's curves and back to getting ready for their date.

---

Troy couldn't tear his eyes off Gabriella as they stood waiting to be seated at the restaurant they were to eat at. She was wearing a black mini dress with a halter neckline and a pleated body that hugged her curves. The neckline was rounded and that mixed with the halter straps allowed Troy's eyes a tantalizing view of Gabriella's pert breasts which his eyes were transfixed on.

"Troy?" Gabriella asked, tugging on his arm as he stared lustfully at her, even though the waiter was trying to take them to their seat.

"Huh?" Troy blinked rapidly as he slowly moved his eyes up to Gabriella's face where her dark eyes were smouldering from his blatant staring.

"Our seats?" Gabriella nodded her head in the direction of the waiter who was standing impatiently.

"Oh," said Troy simply, following the man to their table where he pushed Gabriella's chair in for her before taking his own seat in the quiet, secluded area of the restaurant.

"Wow, everything sounds so delicious," Gabriella murmured a few minutes later and Troy had to agree with her.

Finally the pair decided what to order and when the waiter came back Troy relayed their order of filet mignon and salad for him, and chicken parmigiana for Gabriella.

As they waited for their order to arrive, the pair discussed what they wanted to do for new years, and Gabriella couldn't help but notice that Troy was unwilling to have much of an opinion on what he wanted to do, making her think he already had plans for her and she wondered if it was going to be part of one of her next gifts.

The meal arrived a short time later and they discussed their days as they ate, exactly like they would at home, and Gabriella expressed how happy she was to be on vacation from work, though she mentioned that she wished Troy had some time off with her.

Finally the meal was finished and Gabriella was eating the last bites of her dessert when Troy reached into his pocket and produced a small, black gift box which he placed on the table and slid across to Gabriella.

Repressing the squeals that threatened to erupt at the thought of jewelery, Gabriella picked up the box and carefully opened it, seeing a simple silver bangle inside which slightly confused Gabriella because she wore several silver bangles on her wrist daily.

Picking it up to inspect it, Gabriella noticed there was something engraved on the outside of the bangle and she spun it around to read what it said.

Troy watched with his heart hammering nervously as he watched Gabriella read the three words engraved on the bracelet, a smile spreading across her beautiful face as she read them and then leaned across the table to place a soft kiss on Troy's lips in thanks.

Troy kissed her back before taking the bracelet and slipping it on her tiny wrist, turning it until the engraved words sat at the top of her wrist and the pair read the words silently, each knowing how much they reflected on their feelings about each other.

Forever and always.

_Sixteen letters engraved._


	17. Day 17

**A/N: Here's day 17! We're slowly but surely getting through these, but I'm not sure when the next chapter will be out because I have to go into hospital tomorrow and though I have plans to write while I'm in there, we'll see how things go! Thanks to Stace for her ideas with this chapter, and I hope everyone is still enjoying the reading of this story!**

_On the seventeenth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…_

Gabriella woke up late on the first day of her Christmas vacation. She was surprised to find that Troy had already left, informed by the note that he left on the bed next to her that he was going to be home after just a short shift and would bring something for their lunch, but he had left her breakfast ready in the kitchen for when she awoke.

Stretching, Gabriella got out of bed and slipped on her slippers and Troy's shirt from the night before, covering up her golden body from the cold that seeped through the house before she headed downstairs.

When she got to the kitchen Gabriella saw that Troy had placed two pieces of toast in the toaster for her, ready to be lowered and cooked, and her favourite toast spread, was sitting on the counter with a clean knife next to it, ready for use.

Gabriella put the toast down to cook and opened the fridge to grab the orange juice to pour herself a drink and she was greeted with an already poured glass of juice next to a bowl of yoghurt which she always had after her toast.

Smiling at how sweet her boyfriend was, Gabriella took the glass and bowl from the fridge and placed them both on the table, noticing a dark blue scrapbook laying in the middle of the table.

Curiously, Gabriella picked the scrapbook, knowing she'd never seen it before and flipped it open.

On the first page was a picture of her and Troy at high school, singing in the winter musical when they had first met, and the words "Forever and always" was written along the top in Troy's boyish handwriting, followed with "Troy and Gabriella" written underneath the photo.

Gabriella felt herself tear up as she realised Troy had spent whatever spare time he had, most likely his lunch breaks at work, piecing together a scrapbook of their time together for her.

Wondering if it was her day's gift she flipped through the pages, counting out seventeen pages out loud as she tried not to get distracted by the pictures on the page as she wanted to look at each picture one by one and let the memories that accompanied the pictures come back to her.

Flipping back to the front of the book, Gabriella turned to the second page and her eyes were met by a picture of her and Troy on the first day at Lava Springs, Gabriella was in her regulation swimsuit and Troy in his waiter uniform and the pair were leaning against a wall, talking animatedly at what Gabriella remembered was a plan for a date that evening.

Gabriella remembered it was after her and Troy had broken up over Sharpay, Gabriella's now close friend, and Gabriella shook her head to herself at how self obsessed the blonde had been, until Zeke had managed to distract her attention long enough for her to realise that what she wanted from Troy was little more than to be his girlfriend for social acceptance.

Letting her eyes travel to the next photo, Gabriella saw a picture taken by her Mom of her and Troy in the hammock in the backyard in their senior year, just before Gabriella went to Stanford and Troy came to her for Prom.

Feeling her eyes well up again at what was once of the hardest times of her life to date, Gabriella quickly looked at the next photo, seeing her in Troy's arms on graduation, their lips locked together in a zealous kiss and she couldn't help but remember the night that had followed that. After an afternoon and then a night of being with their parents and then friends, Troy and Gabriella had been more than ready for some time alone, and so while Troy's parents were at a staff function, the pair had taken advantage of the empty house and taken their relationship to the next level, a night that was forever etched in Gabriella's memory.

When Troy arrived home a few hours later, he found his girlfriend still sitting at the kitchen table with the scrapbook. The orange juice and yoghurt still on the table, the now cold toast still in the toaster and his girlfriend still in just his shirt.

"Having a nice trip down memory lane?" Troy asked softly as he came up behind Gabriella, looking down at the photo her fingers were currently brushing across.

It was a black and white picture of Troy and Gabriella the night that Troy proposed on Gabriella's 21st birthday.

The picture was something out of a magazine, Troy down on one knee in his shirt and slacks and Gabriella, her hands covering her mouth in surprise, sitting at a table in her flowing dark blue dress.

The background behind them was perfect, balloons floated in the air and there were a few candles burning on the table behind them, a completely perfect moment.

"Thank you, Troy," Gabriella whispered. "It's beautiful, all of it."

Troy placed a gentle kiss on Gabriella's forehead before he scooped her up and sat down on her chair, placing her gently down onto his lap and holding the scrapbook so they could both see.

"This is my favourite photo of you," Gabriella announced as Troy flipped the page and they were met with a variety of less than sober faces of themselves at various high school and college parties.

The picture Gabriella was pointing at was of the pair of them, Gabriella laughing so much she was almost bent in half and was barely in the picture and Troy was just grinning like a fool, his bright blue eyes sparkling as he watched his girlfriend laughing at him. The look on his face was a mix of love and pride, love for his girlfriend and pride that he could make her so happy.

"What were we even laughing at?" Troy questioned and Gabriella raised her eyebrows.

"You don't remember?"

"Not at all."

"Well it was at Chad's party in the summer of Sophomore year at college…."

_Gabriella felt the alcohol surge through her body as she threw back another jelly shot, feeling it go straight to her head as she wobbled slightly on her feet._

"_You okay, baby?" Troy slurred as he wrapped an arm around Gabriella's waist, though he was as intoxicated as her, if not more and he wouldn't of been able to actually catch her if she had fallen._

"_Perfect," Gabriella giggled, reaching up to place a wet kiss on Troy's lips. "Let's play truth or dare!"_

"_I'll go first!" Chad offered, taking a huge gulp of his beer. "Ask me, Gabi."_

"_Okay Chad," Gabriella tried to be serious but failed miserably. "Truth or dare?"_

"_Truth!" Chad decided excitedly._

"_Who was your first girlfriend?"_

_The question made Troy start to laugh uncontrollably and Chad shot him a look before he answered._

"_Stephanie Harris, 4__th__ grade," Chad said with a nod of his head. "She dumped me because I wouldn't let her hold my hand."_

"_And now he can't keep his hands off of Taylor!" Sharpay giggled loudly, starting the other girls in the group off again, except Taylor who sympathetically kissed her boyfriend who was now pouting at being teased._

"_Liar," Troy accused his best friend. "Don't you remember Nancy?"_

"_Troy," Chad warned. "She wasn't even real."_

"_Wasn't real?" The rest of the group asked almost in unison and Troy nodded as Chad groaned and buried his face in his hands._

"_In the 2__nd__ grade, Chad had a girlfriend called Nancy. An _imaginary _girlfriend. What was it Chad? Blue eyes, black hair and no cooties?" Troy teased, looking over at Gabriella who was now doubled over with laughter._

"Oh yeah, I remember that," Troy laughed. "He so got me back for that though, with the story about throwing up on stage during that 1st grade play."

Gabriella giggled softly as she turned the page and her giggles turned to an aww.

"Look at you, all graduated college," Gabriella said softly as she stroked her fingers over the picture of the pair of them at Troy's college graduation. As like in most of the photos the pair were unaware that there were other people around, let alone someone taking a picture of them and as a result a sweet moment was caught on camera with Troy brushing some curls off Gabriella's face as he lent down to capture her lips in his.

"And look, here's us the night we moved into this house," Troy pointed to a picture that the pair had awkwardly taken of themselves, standing in the front doorway of their new house. "We look so young."

"It was only a few years ago," Gabriella pointed out. "Time goes so quickly, next thing you know, we'll be married."

As Troy kissed Gabriella softly he smiled to himself as he thought about how close that moment was for them and he looked past Gabriella's shoulder to the last few pages of the scrapbook which he had deliberately left empty.

_Seventeen pages of memories._


	18. Day 18

**A/N: I know I took forever to write this one, but this chapter, right from the start has been the biggest chapter in my mind, and I wanted to get it just right, and I feel I have. I'm still nervous about posting it, even though a HUGE thanks needs to go to Corii for reading this chapter through for me at different points and helping me out with so much. So please let me know what you think of it all, because I really want to know what everyone thinks of this chapter, more than anything :)**.

**Thanks to everyone who is still reading this story, only 3 more chapters to go after this one!**

_On the eighteenth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…_

"Can't you just give me one teeny tiny hint about where we're going?" Gabriella pouted as Troy rolled his eyes for the hundredth time that morning.

"Nope," Troy shook his head. "That would give it away and this is a surprise."

"How do I know what kind of makeup to get put on? Or how to wear my hair?" Gabriella asked, eager to find something that would make Troy have to give her at least a small hint about where he was taking her later that day.

"Taylor and Sharpay know and they'll make the decisions," Troy explained. "Just trust them."

"You want me to trust Sharpay? When it comes to hair and makeup?" Gabriella whined. "Troy, you know she loves to make me into her own personal Barbie doll!"

"Baby," Troy cooed as he wrapped his arms around Gabriella's tiny waist. "It'll be worth it, I promise."

"This better be the world's greatest surprise," Gabriella muttered into Troy's chest. "Cause Sharpay is going to have a field day with this."

--

Three hours later and Gabriella was watching her friends with amusement as they argued over how they were going to style her hair for the "uber date" as Gabriella had labelled it in her head.

"Troy likes when her hair is mostly down," Taylor argued, her dark hands on her curvy hips as she stood directly in front of the seated Gabriella, facing Sharpay.

"It looks more elegant when it's up," Sharpay argued back, her stance the same as Taylor's and Gabriella giggled to herself as she realised it was like they were disagreeing about a life changing decision, not just how she was to wear her hair.

"I think it should look how Troy likes to see her," Taylor said sternly, arching her eyebrows at the blonde.

"I think that Gabriella needs to look elegant for her big… date," Sharpay caught herself in time before ruining the surprise and Taylor looked like she was ready to hit her best friend for having such a big mouth.

"Guys?" Gabriella interrupted. "I have to agree with Tay, Troy prefers my hair down, but Shar, can't you do something… nice with it? Pin some back or something?" Gabriella tried to compromise with her best friends, knowing neither were going to back down unless she intervened.

"I guess," Sharpay huffed. "Okay, let me see what I can do."

Gabriella settled back into her chair as Sharpay started fussing with her hair and Taylor turned to look at the makeup supplies that they had gathered to use on her.

It was going to be a long day, and Gabriella hoped all the effort was worth whatever surprise Troy had for her.

While Gabriella was getting her hair and makeup done, Troy was hanging out with Chad and Zeke, playing some x box while they waited for the girls to be done with Gabriella so that Troy could reveal his big surprise.

But Troy's nerves were making it so he couldn't sit still, not even to play his favourite game, Halo.

"Troy, would you just fucking sit down," Chad snapped at his best friend as Troy put his controller down and started to pace the living room again. "You can't just get up in the middle of a game."

"You and Zeke play," Troy said quietly. "I can't concentrate."

"You worried she's going to freak out about this all?" Zeke asked, ignoring Chad's rolling of the eyes. "Cause I know Gabi, and she's going to love you went to all this trouble."

"But what if I'm wrong?" Troy asked worriedly. "What if this isn't what she wants and she gets mad at me."

"The only time I've ever seen Gabi made at you is that whole shit with Sharpay at high school," Chad pointed out unhelpfully. "Oh and all that being an ass about the _musicale_."

"Chad!" Zeke and Troy snapped at the same time.

"Not helping," Zeke muttered to Chad, standing up to follow Troy who had left the room.

"I just wanna play the damn game," Chad called after the two, throwing his control onto the couch next to him before standing up and unwillingly following Zeke to make sure that Troy wasn't cancelling the whole surprise because of his nerves.

---

Almost three hours later and the three guys were sitting back in Troy and Gabriella's living room watching a replay of a basketball game, though Troy wasn't really paying attention, his eyes glancing at the clock on the wall every few minutes, knowing the girls would be on their way home any minute now.

Just as he sighed and checked the time again, Zeke's phone rang with the tone that indicated Sharpay had sent him a message and Troy felt his heart leap up into his throat.

"They're coming into the street now," Zeke informed the other two. "Are you ready dude?"

Troy nodded, his face paling. "You guys better get out to the backyard."

The three stood up, stretching for a moment before Chad and Zeke left the room, going through the kitchen to hide in the backyard so they could appear along with Sharpay and Taylor after Troy had revealed his surprise to Gabriella.

He heard his fiancé bidding goodbye to her friends, and the sound of Sharpay's pink convertible leaving the driveway, though Troy knew she was only parking it a few doors down before her and Taylor would sneak back onto the property and join Chad and Zeke in the backyard.

As he heard the front door open, Troy's heart started to race and he struggled to swallow as his throat became unnaturally dry.

"Troy?" Gabriella's soft voice came through the house. "Are you home?"

Doing his best to calm down, Troy walked out of the living room and into the entrance way where Gabriella was standing, listening out for his voice and he grinned uncontrollably as he noticed how amazingly beautiful she looked, and his nerves disappeared as she grinned back at him.

"Hey gorgeous," he smiled, placing a soft kiss on Gabriella's forehead as he gave her a quick hug.

"Hey yourself," Gabriella whispered, leaning into Troy's body as his arms wrapped around her waist. "Does this suit what you have planned?"

Troy nodded as Gabriella indicated her hair and makeup, which was perfect for his surprise, though Troy had tried to tell Sharpay and Taylor, in his male way, what he thought he wanted.

"It's perfect," Troy said honestly. "Do you wanna know the surprise now?"

Gabriella squealed and jumped up and down a few times in excitement, nodding her head rapidly.

"Come into the kitchen then and I'll show you," Troy felt the nerves return as he followed Gabriella into their kitchen, where he knew their best friends were hiding on the other side of the door, the open windows allowing them to hear what Troy had to say, though they were already more than aware of what the surprise was.

Troy faced Gabriella and couldn't help but smile at how excited she was, and he took a deep breath before he reached into his back pocket and took out a ring before dropping down onto one knee in the middle of their kitchen.

Gabriella looked beyond confused at Troy's position, and even more confused when he spoke.

"Gabriella, will you marry me?"

She looked down at her hand where her engagement ring sat on her left ring finger and she looked back at Troy, ring in hand.

"Uh, Troy, baby? You've already done this part," she stammered, pointing at her left hand, confusion etched into her beautiful face as her eyebrows furrowed in thought.

"I know," Troy chuckled. "But I mean will you marry me _now_, today, in front of all our friends."

"Now?" Gabriella gasped. "Today? But where? Our parents aren't here and I don't have a dress and you don't have a tux…"

"Gabriella," Troy interrupted. "If you say yes, I promise I have everything sorted."

"Of course I say yes," Gabriella said quickly, her voice filled with happiness. "I'll marry you in our backyard in my sweatpants if it means I get to be with you forever."

"Well I've planned for things to be a little more elegant than that," Troy laughed as he bent down to place a soft kiss on Gabriella's lips. "But I promise it still means forever."

---

Less than ten minutes - and countless kisses – later, Troy ushered Gabriella in the direction of her two best friends, telling her that they were in charge of preparing her for the rest of the day, and that they would get her to their wedding destination where he would be waiting for them.

Reluctantly, Gabriella followed Sharpay and Taylor upstairs, turning her head to glance back down at her almost-husband after every few steps.

"I love you," she called down to him as he disappeared from her view, the last time she would see him before she was walking down the aisle.

"I love you too," Troy called back before he turned to Zeke and Chad and nodded towards the front of the house. "Let's go and make sure this is all going to go as planned."

Upstairs, Sharpay and Taylor led Gabriella to her and Troy's master bedroom, and when Sharpay threw open the door, Gabriella saw, hanging from a hook in the ceiling, the wedding dress she had picked out almost two months before at a local bridal shop that she'd been waiting for to come into stock.

A loud gasp came from Gabriella as she hurried forward, into the room and straight over to the dress which she gently touched with her tiny hands, running the smooth material between her fingers.

"Troy asked us what dresses you'd been looking at, and we told him you'd ordered one already and so he got the bridal shop to call his cell phone instead of yours when it arrived in," Sharpay explained.

"He hasn't even seen it yet," Taylor filled Gabriella in on this traditional detail that hadn't even crossed her mind yet. "I picked it up for him when it came in, and Chad brought it up here today so that the first time Troy sees it is when you walk down the aisle to him."

Gabriella couldn't stop the tears that formed and then fell down her cheeks as she hugged Taylor tightly, so pleased that the people she loved most in her life had gone to so much trouble to make the happiest day of her life, the happiest surprise of her life as well.

But although Gabriella was ecstatic beyond belief at the day's events that were to take place, she couldn't help wishing that her Mother, and grandparents would be there to watch her walk down the aisle and marry the man of her dreams.

Troy, Chad and Zeke quickly arrived at the church that Troy's parents had been married in, and set about making sure that everything was in place, and everyone was ready, because the wedding was going to start in a little over an hour.

Hugging his parents, Troy looked around to locate the people that he knew were among the most important to have there, for Gabriella's sake. He soon spotted Gabriella's Mom, Maria, standing with four elderly people that Troy had met only a handful of times, Gabriella's grandparents from both sides of her family.

Telling his parents he would talk to them soon, Troy headed over to the five family members, wrapping Maria up in a hug as soon as he approached, before doing the same to Gabriella's grandmas.

"Nice to see you again, Abuela Rosa," Troy smiled as he hugged Maria's Mother. "And you too Abuela Sonia," as he hugged Gabriella's Father's Mother.

"Troy, hello," smiled Eduardo, Gabriella's paternal grandfather, the one who was to walk Gabriella down the aisle, standing in for her deceased father.

Troy shook the old man's hand before turning to the frail elderly man who was sitting in a wheelchair between Maria and Rosa.

"Hello, Abuelo Jose," Troy said with a polite smile, holding out his hand for the old man to shake which he did so with a weak grip.

"Hello, Troy," he said quietly, his voice raspy.

"I'm so glad you could all make it today," Troy smiled. "Gabriella will be here in an hour."

"How did she take the re-proposal?" Maria asked with a laugh. "I bet she was confused."

"She reminded me that I had already proposed to her," Troy smirked. "Pointed out her engagement ring and everything."

"Did she see the wedding ring?" Rosa asked, and Troy shook his head.

"I'm pretty sure she was too busy trying to work out what I was doing to notice it," Troy laughed. "Sorry but I'll have to excuse myself, I need to check in with Taylor to make sure everything is going right at their end."

Troy said goodbye to them all before moving to the other side of the church, where nobody was standing and pulling out his cell phone to call Taylor, who answered immediately.

"Hey Troy," she greeted. "Give me a second."

Troy heard her excuse herself from the room and then heard the door shut behind her before she spoke again. "Is everything okay at the Church?"

"Everything's perfect, I just spoke to Maria, and Gabriella's grandparents, and my parents are here. Gabriella's Aunty Ana should be there any minute now with Natalia, and her flower girl dress is with yours and Sharpay's dresses, right?"

"Yeah, I checked a few minutes ago when we showed Gabriella our dresses, she hasn't seen it yet, I don't even think the thought of a flower girl has crossed her mind."

"Sounds like my girl, too many thoughts going through her pretty little head to remember everything," Troy chuckled, ignoring Taylor's fake gagging sounds. "That reminds me that I need to go and make sure my cousin Jonty has arrived, can't have a wedding without the ring bearer!"

"Okay, Troy," Taylor replied, hearing the doorbell chime downstairs. "Sounds like our flower girl has just arrived, so we'll see you in an hour, okay?"

"Thanks, Tay," Troy said before hanging up the phone and sighing with relief, so far, everything was going to plan, and he hoped it stayed that way. Remembering he had to go and find his youngest cousin, Troy hoped like crazy that his idea of picking the youngest member of each of their families to have a part in the whole process wasn't going to be one he'd regret.

--

Gabriella took a deep breath as she heard the familiar sounds of the wedding march ringing through her ears. She, Taylor, Sharpay and Natalia had arrived at the church by limo, and it was time for the proceedings to begin. She could hear the sounds of many people standing up at once, and knew that in a few moments, she would be on her way to becoming Mrs. Troy Bolton.

With a nod of their heads, Taylor and Sharpay stepped through the open doors in front of them and walked gracefully side by side down the centre of the church to the alter where the males were waiting for them.

As her friends disappeared from her view, Gabriella ushered Natalia to stand in front of the doors, and Gabriella stood behind her, giving herself the first view of the church and her husband to be, standing handsomely in his classic black tux.

Just as Gabriella was about to tell Natalia that it was time for them to walk, she heard her voice being softly called in a strong Spanish accent. She looked to her left where the voice had come from, and there stood her paternal Grandfather.

"Abuelo Eduardo!" Gabriella whispered in excitement. "You're here!"

"I'm here to walk you down the aisle, sweetheart," Eduardo corrected. "Your Daddy would've been mighty proud to do it, and I'm mighty proud that man of yours asked me to stand in his place for you."

Gabriella felt herself tear up as she wrapped her arms around Eduardo.

"Is it time to go yet?" A small voice piped up, and Gabriella remembered that she should be almost at the end of the aisle by now.

"Let's go," Gabriella said to both her cousin and grandfather, slipping her arm through the elderly man's, and letting the small girl lead her way down to the alter.

Troy couldn't help the smile that covered his face as he first watched Taylor and Sharpay walk down the aisle in their dark aubergine dresses. The soft chiffon and satin fabric looked perfect on the girls' opposing features, and Troy felt his two best friends stand up straighter as they watched their girlfriends heading down the aisle towards them.

But it wasn't those two girls that Troy was dying to see, and he waited patiently as he knew Eduardo was going to surprise Gabriella at the last second, and that would delay her arrival by a minute or so.

As a collective gasp went around the church, Troy's eyes were met with the most beautiful vision he had ever seen. Gabriella was walking towards him in her white wedding gown, the dress hugged every curve on the body Troy knew so well, and his eyes roamed every inch of it as he burnt the image to his memory.

From the pleats under the bust and across Gabriella's tiny waist to the simple skirt of the dress, back up to the glistening lace of the bust, Troy paid more attention to every piece of that dress than he had paid to any other piece of clothing in his entire life.

As Gabriella neared closer, Troy let his eyes travel up to memorise her stunning face, the soft curls framed her smiling features, her mocha eyes sparkling as they connected with his cobalt blues, and though Troy didn't think it was possible, his smile grew even wider to meet her own.

Natalia finally reached the end of the aisle, and went to stand with Taylor and Sharpay, looking adorable in her dress that matched the bridesmaids ones. But Troy didn't notice that as he stepped forward in his trance to meet Gabriella.

Hardly noticing Eduardo kiss her cheek, Gabriella took the last step forward to take Troy's outstretched hands in her own, clutching at his fingers as the electricity surged between them, making them forget every other person in the room.

"You look… amazing," Troy whispered as he drew his bride close to him and bent down to kiss her gently. "Absolutely beautiful."

A small cough from the minister made Gabriella and Troy break out of their bubble slightly, and they dropped moved – hands still holding – to stand in the middle of the altar, in front of their families and friends as Gabriella received her 18th gift.

Neither paid much attention during the ceremony, reciting after the minister when it was their turn, but mostly just watching the other. Their eyes burning with the gazes that they shared, their fingers tingling as they tangled together tightly, their hearts racing as they jointed together, forever.

"The rings?" The minister asked, and little Jonty stepped forward with his pillow that the rings were tied carefully to.

Finally Troy and Gabriella broke their grasp on each other, and Gabriella took the ring for Troy, sliding it onto his left ring finger and saying after the minister "with this ring, I thee wed."

Troy then took the ring off the pillow, and said the same words as Gabriella as he slipped the golden ring onto her dainty finger, leaning down to whisper in her ear as it slid into place.

"Happy day 18, baby."

_Eighteen carats of gold._

**A/N: There are links on my profile for pictures of Gabriella's dress, and Taylor/Sharpay/Natalia's dress too.**


	19. Day 19

**A/N: This chapter was meant to be out at the start of the week, but I broke my arm while sleepwalking (I know, how many people can say that they've done that?**)**, so I thought I should probably not write til I wasn't quite so drugged up. So here it is! With some luck the next two chapters will be up by Valentine's Day, and then I'll see what I can do about the M rated outtakes! Hope everyone enjoys this chapter, it's one I've been excited to write since the beginning!**

_On the 19__th__ day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…_

Gabriella stretched weakly as she tried to work out where she was, because she knew the sheets wrapped around her slim body were not the satin ones that she had on the bed at home.

Opening her eyes she surveyed her surroundings, quickly remembering the day before – and the night before – and her face broke out into an unstoppable grin, only growing wider as she saw her new husband sleeping adorably next to her in the large hotel bed.

Remembering that Troy had to work today because he hadn't been able to get the time off even under the circumstances of getting married, Gabriella shifted closer to him, her weary muscles hating the movement and protesting at her.

Gabriella slid her small hand up over Troy's bare torso, feeling all his muscles twitch subconsciously under her touch, and memories flooded her of the night before of those muscles hovering over her.

Unwillingly resisting the urge to wake her husband up for more of those activities, because otherwise he'd surely be late for work, Gabriella reached up to place a soft kiss upon Troy's lips, knowing he wouldn't be in a deep sleep because there was no gentle snoring coming from his mouth.

Gabriella giggled as she pulled away from Troy's lips, watching as they tried to move against her own, though they were no longer there. His brow furrowed as he tried to comprehend what was going on, and his eyes fluttered open as he slowly awoke.

Just like Gabriella, Troy took a few seconds to work out where he was as his eyes drifted open, and he quickly decided he didn't care where he was as long as he had his beautiful bride there with him.

Troy promptly took in Gabriella's almost glowing appearance, the way her dark eyes sparkled more than usual and the soft smile that was playing on her lips before he reached up to pull her face back down to his, brushing his lips over her own, once, twice, three times before he added his tongue into the mix, using it to tease Gabriella as he refused to kiss her properly.

"Troy," Gabriella pouted as Troy's tongue once again brushed against her lips, disappearing as Gabriella opened her mouth to accept it.

"Well good morning to you, too, Mrs Bolton," Troy grinned cheekily, watching as a look of horror came across Gabriella's face.

"Troy! Mrs Bolton is your Mom, that's just, wrong!" Gabriella cried. "Yuck!"

"Sorry, sorry!" Troy said defensively. "Good morning Mrs Gabriella Bolton, my beautiful glowing wife, is that better?"

"Mmm, much," Gabriella murmured, dropping her head down to nuzzle her nose into Troy's neck. "What time do you have to leave?"

Troy stretched, feeling his muscles burn as he did so, and looked over at the clock on the bedside table. "In about two hours, I have the later, shorter shift."

"Two hours?" Gabriella questioned pointlessly. "And you don't want to get some more sleep before that?"

Troy knew exactly what Gabriella was hinting at and so instead of using his words to answer, he simply rolled their already naked bodies so that he was hovering over her, his lips quickly attaching to the soft skin of her neck as they spent the last few hours alone in the hotel room, consummating their marriage, yet again.

---

A little over two hours later and Gabriella was pulling up to hers and Troy's house, alone, having bid her husband goodbye a half hour earlier at the hotel before he left for his shift at work. She was quite a lot disappointed at having to return home alone but she knew that Troy had tried his hardest to get out of work but had only managed to switch to the shortest shift that he could manage, and then they were spending the afternoon together before going to dinner with their parents.

As Gabriella neared the front door she saw a small white envelope attached to it and she fastened her pace a little bit, eager to see if this was part of her day 19 gift, assuming that Troy had dropped it off on his way to work somehow. When she reached the door, Gabriella pulled the envelope off the wooden door and opened it excitedly, her shining eyes darting across the words that were written in Troy's chicken scratching writing.

_Welcome home my beautiful bride. Today is day 19 and throughout our house there are 19 envelopes including this one, each containing a reason that I love you. Of course there are more than 19 reasons I love you, but for day 19, here are 19 of them._

_Reason one – Because you're already trying to decide if you should go and look for all the envelopes or if you should let yourself find them as you happen to come across them._

Gabriella felt herself tear up just thinking about how much effort Troy had gone to for the day's gift, even though no money had been spent it was something that she knew she was going to keep for the rest of her life, she would guard the 19 little envelopes until her dying days.

She read over the note one last time before putting it back into the envelope and then opening the front door, her eyes immediately scanning the entryway for another envelope. It only took a few seconds before her chocolate browns landed on the second envelope, stuck to the front of the staircase banister.

Briefly checking that the front door was closed behind her, Gabriella hurried over to the staircase, grabbing the envelope excitedly and pulling the note out from inside.

_Because you look absolutely adorable right now, even with little to no sleep from an impromptu wedding night._

Gabriella resisted the urge to roll her eyes at her husband's rose-tinted glasses he always seemed to be wearing when it came to her, though she couldn't resist smiling knowing that he really did think she always looked adorable, even when she was at her worst.

Five minutes later and Gabriella was entering the bathroom, feeling like she needed to take a shower, though she had taken one at the hotel just before she left, feeling not properly clean after using the generic soap and shampoo at the hotel.

Gabriella had found two more envelopes, one on the bedroom door that read:

_Because as soon as you open this door you'll smell my cologne and even though I only left you an hour ago, it'll make you miss me like crazy, as I already do you._

And another on their closet door that was absolutely true and made Gabriella giggle at how well her husband knew her little quirks:

_Because you're coming in here to grab one of my shirts instead of something from your own side of the closet._

There was also another one on the bathroom door, with Troy yet again putting a reason for his love that matched Gabriella's thoughts exactly, this one read:

_Because even though you took a quick shower at the hotel, you didn't have your shampoo and soap so you want to take a proper shower, now, at home._

As soon as Gabriella entered the bathroom she turned to the large wall mirror, curious as to if the glow she had possessed earlier that Troy had commented on was still there.

On the mirror was a the 6th note, and for the 6th time Gabriella's stomach jumped in excitement as she reached for the envelope and slipped the paper out again. She felt her eyes well up with tears as she read the sentence scribbled on the paper, feeling like she was the most lucky woman on earth to have a husband who was able to read her mind before she had even had the thoughts.

_Because you think you look like crap right now, even though you'd be the prettiest thing most people have ever seen._

Gabriella hadn't even looked in the mirror, being too eager to leave the empty hotel room she had just pulled her hair back without looking in the mirror, but she had already guessed that she looked like crap.

Forgetting to look at herself because she was so overwhelmed by the note, Gabriella turned to the shower, almost missing the seventh note which was stuck to the glass door.

_Because of the gorgeous way you hum when the hot water first hits your aching body._

This was something Troy had told Gabriella many times before that he loved, whenever they shared a shower, which was often when they both needed to relax and unwind, it was always something Troy commented on. Gabriella knew that today the hot water was going to feel amazing on her sore muscles which were already protesting against her being in a standing position instead of curled up in bed.

Placing the seven envelopes onto the bathroom counter, Gabriella turned back to the shower and flicked it on, undressing while the water heated up and filled the bathroom with steam.

And as she stepped under the water and her trademark hum escaped her lips, her heart leap into her throat as she realised she still had quite a few hours til Troy would be home and she could throw herself into his arms.

---

A half hour later, Gabriella was sitting at the kitchen table, a coffee in one hand and the page of the newspaper in the other hand.

She now had 11 notes, and she was tempted to rush through her coffee and newspaper reading to find the final ones but she knew that it would be more fun to just come across them as she went about her day as she had done with the first 11.

She had found one on the kitchen door:

_Because now that you've showered, all your mind can think about is a hot cup of coffee._

One on the table:

_Because the first thing you did when you entered the kitchen was look here for the newspaper._

Then one on the front of the refrigerator:

_Because you think nothing goes better with coffee than a few pieces of chocolate._

And finally one on the coffee machine that was the most true so far, by a long run:

_Because I know you're going to fill your coffee with sugar and have it with whipped cream because I'm not here to stop you._

Finally Gabriella finished her coffee and the newspaper and so she folded the paper back up neatly, placing it in the centre of the table and then pushing back her chair, standing up and stretching before she picked up her empty mug and walked over to the dishwasher, absentmindedly starting to open it up, only paying attention when her fingers came into contact with paper instead of the cool stainless steel of the appliance.

Realising it was another note, Gabriella tossed her mug onto the counter, almost smashing it in the process though she didn't notice in her excitement to read the twelfth note, having noticed that the notes all were related to where they were placed, and she was more than curious to know what the dishwasher had to do with Troy's love for her.

_Because you always put your mug in the dishwasher when you're finished with it, you never like to leave a mess no matter how small._

This note made Gabriella giggle to herself, knowing that it was true, and while it was something that often bugged Troy, because Gabriella was always on his case to tidy up after himself, Gabriella knew it was yet another one of her small quirks that he loved, and the note only proved it.

Placing the note on top of the other eleven, Gabriella quickly put her mug in the dishwasher before she picked the growing stack up of notes and carried them through to the living room, deciding to make the use of the silence and time off work to have some peaceful reading time.

Gabriella entered the living room and sat down on the comfy couch, reaching for her glasses case that was sitting on the coffee table next to the tv remote. It was then that she spotted two more envelopes, one on the case and one on the remote.

After a few seconds of trying to decide which one to pick first, Gabriella scooped up her glasses case and pried off the envelope that was stuck to it, blushing as she read the notes contents.

_Because you're going to enjoy the silence to read, and you always look sexy when you wear your "nerd glasses"._

Taking just another couple of seconds to think about all the times Troy had complimented her on what she called her "nerd glasses" saying that if they made her a nerd then she was one sexy nerd Gabriella then picked up the remote and took the note out of the envelope that was stuck there.

_Because you're going to change the tv channel to something with cartoons._

Gabriella nodded to herself as she read this note, knowing that she was going to turn on the tv when she had put her glasses on, changing the channel to cartoons for some background noise to distract her overworking mind from all the sounds that the old house made.

Putting the notes with the others, Gabriella picked up her glasses case and extracted her glasses, placing them carefully onto her face before she hit the power button on the tv remote and then hit in the channel number to one of the kid's channels.

Though she had no plans to watch the tv, Gabriella glanced up at it for some unknown reason, instantly spotting another white envelope stuck to the top of the tv. Leaping up from the couch, Gabriella mentally calculated what number envelope this was, working out that it was number 15.

Standing in front of the tv, Gabriella quickly opened the envelope, tearing it slightly in her excitement to read what was inside.

_Because even though you love the silence to read in, you know you need background noise when you're home alone._

Gabriella smiled at this note, remembering Troy coming home not long after they had moved in, with a set of portable speakers that Gabriella could easily plug into her laptop so that no matter where she was in the house, she could play music in the background while she was home alone.

Glancing down at her watch, Gabriella saw that there was just over three hours until Troy was due home, just the perfect amount of time for her to get some reading done.

She settled back down on the couch, glancing over at the now large stack of envelopes before she reached over to the table next to the couch for her book, opening it to the page that was marked by her bookmark.

Except in place of her bookmark was another white envelope, and Gabriella gently tossed her book onto the couch as she quickly opened the envelope, accidentally losing her page as she did so.

Inside, the 16th note lay, and it read:

_Because you can get lost in a written world._

Gabriella read the simple sentence, knowing that it was indeed something that Troy really loved about her, because while she was able to read a book and be lost in it, Troy had to always be doing something physical otherwise he would become bored, and she knew that he loved that difference between them.

Smiling Gabriella placed the envelopes with the others, picking her book back up to try and find her page, knowing the time would pass by quickly now that she was about to lose herself in the book.

And lose herself she did.

When Gabriella's bladder finally became such a pressing issue that she had to put her book down, it was only 5 minutes from Troy being due home. Placing her book on the table next to the envelopes, Gabriella uncurled her body, stretching her arms out above her head as she let the blood start to flow through her limbs again.

Gabriella was so busy being excited that Troy was due home she almost missed seeing envelope 17 which was stuck to the downstairs bathroom door.

_Because you're impatiently counting down until I get home._

Quickly tending to her business, Gabriella then flushed the toilet and started to wash her hands in the sink, glancing up at the mirror only to see another envelope instead of her own reflection.

Hastily Gabriella dried her hands off, before snatching the envelope from the glass and reading it, immediately smiling at the contents.

_Because you're smiling reading this note and you have the most beautiful smile, my wife._

Just as Gabriella finished reading the note, she heard the font door open, and Troy's voice calling out her name.

Wondering where her last envelope was, Gabriella left the bathroom, going to meet her husband to thank him for such a lovely gift.

But when her eyes set upon the bleu eyed man she adored, she noticed the last envelope was stuck to his chest, and he winked at her as she looked at him questioningly.

Troy pulled the envelope off his t-shirt and held it out to Gabriella, watching with a grin as she carefully opened it and scanned the words inside.

_Because you love me._

_19 reasons he loves me._


	20. Day 20

_On the twentieth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…_

On the morning of December 24th, Gabriella sat at the kitchen table, a long list of groceries in front of her, with Troy sitting across the table from her rattling off other things that they needed for the Christmas celebrations that were their responsibility that year.

"Do we need any more gift wrap?" Troy asked, having decided that all of the food they would need to buy was on the list. "Or are all the presents wrapped?"

"They're all wrapped and under the tree, I finished them last night while you went for your run," Gabriella answered as she skimmed down the list, picturing in her mind what the food table would look like the next day so she could see if she'd forgotten anything. "I think the list is done."

"Are we doing the shopping? Or are you going with your Mom?" Troy asked, knowing that as much as he hated grocery shopping, especially at in the Christmas crowds, he didn't really feel like sharing his new wife until the very last minute that he had to.

"My Mom isn't coming over until just before dinner, she's coming with your parents," Gabriella answered, standing up from the table and taking the few steps over to sit herself down on Troy's lap. "So it's just me and you for most of the day today."

"Just me and you?" Troy questioned pointlessly, tangling the fingers of his left hand in Gabriella's curls. "Then tell me, why are you still fully clothed?"

"You're insatiable, Troy," Gabriella giggled as Troy connected their lips in a soft kiss. "Really, really insatiable."

"I am," Troy confessed against Gabriella's lips. "Should I have told you that before you bound yourself to me for all eternity?"

"Bound yourself to me?" Gabriella questioned as Troy gave up trying to kiss his talking wife and attached his lips to her neck instead. "That's really romantic sounding, Troy."

"You know I'm all romance, baby," Troy chuckled in her ear as he stood up, holding Gabriella to him as she wrapped her legs around his waist. "Screw the groceries, we've been out of bed entirely too long for newlyweds, and I plan on fixing that."

"I'm not stopping you," Gabriella breathed as she brought her hands around to start undoing the buttons on Troy's shirt, letting him carry her expertly up the staircase to their bedroom, grocery shopping to feed their parents slipping far into the back of her mind.

* * *

"Turkey?"

"Troy, you can see that there's a giant turkey in the cart," Gabriella rolled her eyes as she grabbed a box of candy canes.

"I'm just checking through the list!" Troy defended. "I suppose I shouldn't ask if we have a ham either?"

Gabriella glared at her husband, feeling her stress levels rise as she tried to work out if she had enough food to feed both her and Troy, their parents, their grandparents and a few aunts, uncles and cousins who were in town because of the wedding a few days earlier.

"Sorry, baby," Troy said softly, realising that Gabriella wasn't in a joking mood with him anymore and was actually becoming rather frustrated. "I've checked off everything on the list, and I'm positive that we've got enough of everything."

"Thank you, Troy," Gabriella replied, wrapping an arm around Troy's waist and pulling herself closer to him in the crowded grocery store aisle. "Sorry but this is the first time I've organised Christmas, and I'm worried we're not going to have enough food or something."

Troy simply kissed the top of Gabriella's head in reassurance, keeping one arm wrapped around her as he pushed the cart with his other hand, steering them towards the checkout so that they could be home before their parents – who were staying the night – arrived at their house.

Half an hour later, thanks to the long lines, Troy and Gabriella were in their car, on their way home, Christmas carols were playing on the car radio much to Troy's disgust, but Gabriella had pouted at him and he was never one to try and resist the pout.

"Do you want today's gift when we get home?" Troy asked, breaking the silence that had settled over them. "I forgot to give it to you earlier."

Gabriella knew he was implying when they had disappeared up to their bedroom and she blushed a deep red, making Troy laugh at how easily she was embarrassed by him hinting at something that they did very frequently.

"I do, please," Gabriella choked out, willing herself to stop blushing but failing as thoughts of their activities flew through her mind. "Tomorrow is the last one, isn't it?"

"It is, today's one is pretty boring and lame compared to the past two days ones," Troy shrugged. "But I was pretty much out of ideas."

"I'm sure I'll love it," Gabriella replied truthfully, knowing that she'd loved all the gifts, no matter how big or small or how much money they had cost, just knowing that Troy had put the effort in to come up with such an idea made everything special to Gabriella.

"But I promise tomorrow's one is gunna blow your mind," Troy grinned. "I've saved the best for last."

"The best? You're going to top getting married?" Gabriella questioned, raising her eyebrow at her husband.

"Okay that one doesn't count, because I'm pretty sure nothing can top that," Troy laughed, taking Gabriella's hand in his own. "But besides that super sweet, romantic surprise wedding, tomorrow's gift wins, hands down."

"I can't wait," Gabriella replied with a smile. "Nor can I wait for today's one."

"It's really boring," Troy groaned. "I should've thought harder, really."

The debate about whether Troy could give Gabriella a boring gift continued for the rest of their trip home, pausing momentarily as they brought the groceries into the kitchen, but starting up again as they put the food away together.

"Honestly, Gabi, it's not as exciting as a kitten or a Lakers game, or a shopping spree or watching girly movies…" Troy stated, pausing when Gabriella started to laugh at him. "What?"

"Did you just say shopping and girly movies were exciting, Troy?" Gabriella giggled.

"More exciting than a…. today's present."

"Let me be the judge of that," Gabriella shushed him. "I'll finish putting this stuff in the cupboards if you'd like."

"You just want the gift," Troy teased, laughing when Gabriella blushed. "Give me a kiss and I'll go and get it."

Gabriella shook her head as she laughed back at Troy, putting down the packet of flour and turning back towards him, placing a quick kiss on his lips, making Troy pout.

"That's not a kiss worthy of a gift," Troy complained, leaning back down for another kiss, feeling Gabriella's lips smile against his own before they started to move with his. Both quickly forgot that their parents would be arriving at any minute as Troy backed Gabriella up towards the kitchen table, lifting her to sit on the surface when her back hit the edge.

Gabriella's fingers tore at the hem of Troy's hoody, gripping it and tugging it upwards, over Troy's torso and over his head, breaking the kiss for a second before their lips reconnected in an even more passionate kiss, tongues dancing together zealously.

Troy's hand moved down to Gabriella's hip, sliding underneath her sweater and feeling the warmth of her skin underneath as he skimmed up her stomach and over her ribcage, his strong hand settling over the delicate lace that covered her breast.

"Mmm, Troy," Gabriella murmured, arching her back up into his touch. "Upstairs?"

Using his free arm, Troy pulled Gabriella to him, letting her legs twist around his waist so she wouldn't slip down as he stood them both up, spinning around and not seeing his parents and Gabriella's Mom standing in the doorway looking shocked.

A cough from Jack brought Troy's steps to a halt, his eyes popping open to see the three adults standing there.

"Um, hi?" He said, his voice all husky from the going-ons that had been happening just seconds before. "You guys are, uh, here early."

"We're actually about ten minutes late, son," Jack corrected.

"Oh," Troy said lamely, finally realising he should get his hand out from under his wife's top and put her back down on her own two feet.

"We did knock," Jack pointed out, realising that his wife and Maria weren't going to be speaking anytime soon, for the pair knew that their children were adults and all, but they still were shocked at what they had walked in on.

"We didn't hear, sorry," Troy shrugged. "I was just um, going to get Gabriella's gift for the day."

'Looks like it," Jack teased, stepping forward to give Gabriella a quick hug now that she was back standing on her own feet rather than clinging to his son. "Hey sweetheart."

Troy picked his hoody up off the floor, slipping it back on before stepping forward to give his Mom and Maria a kiss on the cheek each. "Hey Mama, hey Maria."

"Why don't you go and get Gabriella's gift, son?" Jack suggested, taking Lucille's hand and leading her over to the table, each unaware that their son and his wife had just been making out at the surface they had just sat down at.

"Hey Mom," Gabriella said quietly, wrapping her arms around Maria. "Sorry about that."

Maria shook her head. "It's okay, you are married after all."

Gabriella grinned at this response, glancing down at her wedding ring, unable to stop the grin from growing bigger as she remembered the moment Troy had slid it onto her finger a few days earlier.

Just as Gabriella was getting lost in her thoughts, Troy returned to the kitchen with a medium sized wrapped box.

"Happy day 20, baby," he smiled as he handed it to her, watching her quickly tear into it.

"24 chocolates? For day 20?" Maria asked, reading over her daughter's shoulder.

"Well, um, I ate 4 of them so it would fit," Troy said sheepishly. "You know they're my favourite too, Gabi."

Everyone in the room burst into laughter as Troy blushed. "I couldn't really think of anything else, I already confessed that one."

"It's perfect, Troy," Gabriella said as she kissed his cheek in thanks. "It's completely you."

"Just wait, baby, tomorrow's gift will make up for this one, I promise you."

_20 fancy chocolates._


	21. Day 21

_On the twenty first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…_

As she had done on every Christmas morning that she could ever remember, Gabriella woke up at a ridiculously early hour of the morning, and though she had woken Troy already, when she had mentioned that it was only 4am, Troy had groaned and told her to go back to sleep.

This left Gabriella wide awake in bed, resisting the urge to wake Troy up since it wasn't even 5am yet, and she knew she had to wait til 6am, as was her Mom's rule. This rule was something that the rest of the people staying in the house were only too glad to enforce last night as Maria informed Lucille and Jack about her daughter's love of early mornings at Christmas time.

Carefully switching on her beside lamp, Gabriella glanced over at her husband, making sure the flood of light hadn't woken him up, and when she saw that he was still softly snoring she slipped out of bed and padded across to the bookshelf in the corner of the room. It always took her a long time to decide on a book to read, all of the ones she stored up in the bedroom were her favourites, ones she had read time and time again, but she still stood in front of the bookcase for almost five minutes before making her selection.

Book in hand, Gabriella returned back to bed, rearranging her pillows so she could sit comfortably before she opened up her book and started to read, getting lost in a world of words, a land of make-believe as the time ticked by faster and faster until Troy awoke.

Gabriella was drawn out from her book by the sound of her husband groaning lightly as he stretched his weary body out as he woke up.

"It's Christmas," Gabriella grinned as she put her book down on the bedside table and then turned back to face Troy, her infectious smile making Troy smile back up at her.

"It is," Troy mumbled as he rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand. "What's the time."

"Umm," Gabriella realised she hadn't even been watching the time because she was so tied up with reading her book. She glanced up at the alarm clock on Troy's bedside table, seeing the glowing, red numbers showing it was 6.45am. "It's almost 7am!"

"That's probably the latest you've ever stayed in bed on Christmas," Troy teased, sitting up and drawing Gabriella into his arms and placing a gentle kiss upon her lips. "Merry Christmas, baby."

"Merry Christmas," Gabriella whispered back, lowering her lips back to Troy's, forgetting her Christmas excitement as she found herself lost in the sleepy blue of Troy's eyes and the soft pressure of his lips against her own eager ones.

By the time the other adults had woken in the house, it was nearly 8am and Troy and Gabriella were still nowhere to be seen. Thinking it was very strange that her daughter hadn't been to wake her, Maria got out of bed, slipping on her slippers and robe as she went in search for the other people in the house.

As Maria came out into the hallway, she saw Lucile and Jack emerging from their bedroom too, looking curiously around for their son and daughter-in-law just as Maria was.

Just as Maria went to speak, a high-pitched giggle filled the hallway, coming from the far bedroom, Troy and Gabriella's room.

"I think Troy and Gabriella are… celebrating Christmas," Jack said through a laugh, gesturing to the staircase. "Shall we go have some coffee while we wait for them?"

"This is the first time I've ever had to wait for Gabi when there's gifts to be opened," Maria said with astonishment.

"They're newlyweds," Jack pointed out to his shocked wife, who looked like she couldn't believe that her son was having sex while they were just down the hallway.

"He's my baby," Lucile muttered as Jack led her down the hallway with Maria following behind them.

A half hour later Troy and Gabriella emerged, both still with flushed cheeks and messed up hair, though Gabriella had tried to pull hers up into a ponytail. They went down the hallway to the room Maria was staying in and Gabriella knocked gently, not wanting to wake her Mom up too rudely.

"Mom?" She called softly as she pushed the door open, seeing the empty bed she turned to Troy. "She must be downstairs."

"I hope she didn't hear you," Troy teased.

"You mean us," Gabriella corrected, and Troy shook his head.

"No, I mean you," he took a step back as a blushing Gabriella swung her arm at him. "Let's wake my parents."

Gabriella let Troy knock and call out to his parents as she glared at him for his comments, and when he opened their door, he saw that they too were already awake and out of the room.

"They must be waiting for us downstairs," Gabriella said excitedly, grabbing Troy's arm and dragging him towards the staircase, forgetting she was trying to be mad at him.

Troy laughed at Gabriella's switch in moods, and he let her tug him downstairs where they found their parents in the kitchen drinking coffee and sharing their favourite Christmas memories.

"About time, you two," Jack joked as he spotted the pair and Gabriella blushed, neither of the young adult giving an excuse for their late "sleep in". "We were going to just open your presents for you if you didn't emerge soon."

"Mama would never do that to me," Troy smiled as he gave Lucille a kiss on her forehead.

"Speaking of presents, let's go and open them," Gabriella said with excitement, her dark eyes sparkling as she looked at the other 4 people in the kitchen for approval. When she saw her Mom nodding, she dashed out of the room, making everyone laugh.

"How did you deal with that for all these years?" Jack joked and Maria shook her head.

"She's Troy's Christmas problem now," Maria laughed, winking at her son-in-law.

"Come on, slow-pokes!" Gabriella called from the living room.

When everyone was seated in the living room, Gabriella having dragged Troy to sit down next to her, closest to the Christmas tree where Jack was given the job of handing out the gifts underneath.

"Here you go, Gabi," Jack said as he passed the first gift out, passing Gabriella a gift from her Mom.

As Gabriella tore into the gift, Jack handed a present each to Maria, Lucille, Troy and took one for himself and the group all opened their first gifts, admiring them and thanking the gift-giver before moving on to the rest of the presents.

Soon all the gifts had been unwrapped, and Gabriella was perplexed by some gifts she had received from Troy, which included sunscreen, 2 new bikinis and some flip-flops.

"These are interesting gifts for the middle of winter," Gabriella commented to Troy as they sat cuddled up on their sofa, having let their parents use the bathrooms to take their showers first.

"Are they?" Troy asked with a shrug, pulling Gabriella across his lap. "I hadn't noticed."

Gabriella rolled her eyes. "You are such a bad liar, Troy Bolton."

"I'm a liar? Well maybe I won't give you today's gift then," Troy teased and Gabriella gasped.

"You wouldn't do that!"

"Would too."

"Would not."

"Would too."

"No way, you're too nice," Gabriella retorted and it was Troy's turn to roll his eyes.

"Oh so I'm nice now that it suits you," he asked, tickling her sides. "Maybe I don't wanna be nice."

"Troy!" Gabriella giggled, trying to pry Troy's hands off her but she was unsuccessful so instead she stretched her neck forward and pressed her lips against Troy's, making him stop his tickling immediately.

The kiss quickly heated up, and Gabriella forgot what had started their playful argument until Troy broke the kiss and whispered three words into her ear.

"Under your pillow."

It took Gabriella a few seconds to clear through the fog that the kiss had created, but once she realised what Troy was talking about she jumped off him, running from the room with squeals of excitement and Troy hurried to follow her, wanting to see her reaction when she opened the gift and found that he had organised their honeymoon for the last gift.

For inside an envelope which was placed under Gabriella's pillow were plane tickets and hotel bookings for them to spend….

_Twenty one days in Hawaii._

**A/N: So here it is, the last chapter, I'm sorry it's taken so long, I just truly lost my writing muse. So I've mentioned a sequel to this story and I'm still planning it, but I want your ideas for any outtakes of this story that you'd like to read, I have some ideas myself, and I've already had some requests so I shall start writing those and put the Outtakes up soon. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed this story or even just read it, and huge thanks to Corii for all her help with this story!**

**This wasn't the way I planned to end the story (the gift is the same, but I had the gift revealed in a different way), but I'm recovering from surgery and I have 3 broken fingers so I decided to go with a quicker reveal and Gabriella's reaction will be given in the outtakes.**_  
_


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